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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at |http : //books . google . com/ TffPnJSESfrCHUBRARiis" 3 3433 06913248 2 fflSTORICAL VINDICATIONS: A DISCOURSE PROVINCE MD USES OF BAPTIST HISTORY, DELIVERED BEFORE THE BACKUS HISTORICAL 80CIET7. AT NE'WTUN, MASS.. JUNE 23, 1857. REPEATED BEFORE THE AMERICAN BAPTIST HISTORICAL SOCIETT. AT NEW YORK. MAT 14, ISflB. APPENDIXES, OONTAININQ HISTORICAL NOTES AND CONFESSIONS OP FAITH. BT SEWALL S. CUTTING, PROFESSOR OF BHBTOBIO AKD HISTORY IN THE UmVSBSITY OF ROCHESTER. BOSTON: GOULD AND LI H/J: Q Ii!N: ,: 69 WASHINGTON 8TRBBT. NEW YORK: SHELDON AND COMPANY. CINCINNATI: GEORGE S. BLANCHARD. 1859. A8TOR. utl-^OX i. SO TILCEN FC '• PAT'JNS. IMS Entered aeeordlng to Aet of Congress, In the year 1S59, bj GOULD AND LINCOLN, In tlie Clerk*> Office of tbe District Coort for the District of Massachnsetts. ■ LSCTKOTTrSD BT W. P. DKArSK, AXDOTKK, MASS. Printed Bj R. M. Edvards. VENERABLE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE, E. I.. IB BBBPECTFULLT DEDICATED. PREFACE. This Discourse is placed in form for preserva- tion at the request of the bodies before whom it was delivered. Prepared for deUvery at the An- niversary of the Newton Theological Institution, it is printed as spoken at that time. The histori- cal importance of some of the subjects discussed in the Notes, will justify, it is believed, the ex- tended space which they occupy. The Confes- sions of 1643 and of 1689 are inserted, because, though absolutely essential to the knowledge of Baptist doctrinal history, they are to most read- ers now inaccessible. The pages here given to the public are partial fruits of studies pursued through many years by the vnitCT, raA \ifc n^'^ VI PREFACE. be abundantly compensated if they shall become the occasion to others of kindred researches, and kindred pleasure and profit. He believes that studies in our denominational history will in- crease our reverence for those who have gone before us, and contribute, by the blessing of God, to restore somewhat of their superior efficiency in promoting the kingdom of our Lord, and the salvation of men. S. S. C. University op Rochester, September 24, 1859. CONTENTS. PAOS DISCOUBS£» U APPENDIX I, NOTES. A. — The Alleged Self-Baptism OF John Smith, 67 B. — The Historical Baptism of the English People, ... 61 C.—Cbebd-statementb IN THE Baptist Denomination, ... 86 D. — " Baptists," 107 APPENDIX II. CONFESSIONS AND DISCIPLINE. I. — The Confession of the Seven Churches, 1648, . . . .113 II. —The Confession of the Assembly of 1689, called in America the Philadelphia Confession, 128 Remark to the Reader, 129 I. — Of the Holy Scriptures, 188 II.— Of God and of the Holy Trinity, 188 III— Of God's Decrees, 'fiRk Vin CONTENTS. TAOt IV.— Of Creation, 139 v.— Of Divine Providence, 140 yi.— Of the Fall of Han, of Sin, and of the rnnishment thereof; 142 VII. — Of God»8 Covenant, 143 VIII.— Of Christ the Mediator, 144 IX. — Of Freewill, 14T X. — Of Effectual Calling, 147 XL— Of JusHficaUon, 149 XII.— Of Adoption, ISO XIII. — Of Sanctification, 151 XIV.— Of Saving Faith, • .... 162 XV.— Of Bepentance unto Life and Salvation, 153 XVI .-Of Good Works, 164 XVII. — Of Perseverance of the Saints, 155 XVni. — Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation, . . . .157 XIX —Of the Law of God, 158 XX. — Of the Gospel, and of the Extent of the Grace thereof, . 160 XXI. — Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience, . • .161 XXn. — Of Beligions Worship, and the Sabbath Day, . . . .162 XXIII. — Of Lawful Oaths and Vows, 164 XXIV. — Of the Civil Magistrate, 165 XXV. — Of Marriage, 166 XXVI. — Of the Church, 166 XXVIL — Of the Communion of Saints, 170 XXVIII.— Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, 171 XXIX. — Of Baptism, IH XXX. — Of the Lord's Supper, 172 XXXI. — Of the State of Man after Death, and of the Resurrection of theDe^, 173 XXXII.— Of the Last Judgment, 174 XXXIII. — An Appendix Concerning Baptism, 175 XXXIV. — Of the Singing of Psalms, etc., jgg XXXV. — Of Lay tog on of Hands, 189 CONTENTS. IX rAou III. — The New Hamtshibb Declaration of Faith, . . .191 I. — Of the Scriptures, 191 II. — Of the True God, 191 III. — Of the Fall of Man, 192 IV. — Of the Way of Salvation, 192 V. — Of Justification, 193 VI.— Of the Freeness of Salvation, 193 Til. — Of Grace in Regeneration, 193 YIII. — Of Repentance and Faith, 194 IX. — Of God^s Purpose of Grace, 194 X. — Of SanctificaUon, 195 XL— Of the Perseverance of Saints, 195 XII.— Of the Harmony of the Law and the Gospel, . . • .195 XIII.— Of a Gospel Church, 198 XIV.— Of Baptism and the Lord*8 Supper, 196 XV.— Of the Christian Sabbath, 197 XVI.— Of Civil Government, 197 XVII. — Of the Righteous and the Wicked, 197 XVIII. — Of the World to Come, 193 IV. — Discipline Adopted by the Philadelphia Associatiok, . 199 Concerning a True and Orderly Gospel Church, 201 Concerning Ministers, etc., . 202 Of Ruling Elders, ' . .204 Of Deacons, 205 Of the Admission of Church Members, 205 Of the Duties of Church Members, 211 Of the Manifold Duties of Christians, especially to the Household of Faith, 213 Of Church Censures, 214 Of the Communion of Churches, '. . 221 THB PROVINCE MD USES OF BAPTIST HISTORY. I WAS not uninfluenced by personal considerations in accepting the invitation which has brought me to your presence to-day. I came to meet old friends, whose grasp always repays a long journey, needing no pledge of welcome save that which is furnished in recollections of former intimacies, and of labors in a common and blessed service. This hill, whose winding ascent is shaded by venerable elms, — the beautiful panorama which delights the eye from its summit, — are not more familiar than the faces which assemble here on these sacred occasions. They differ in this, that while the former abide with the constancy of nature, knowing no change save that of increasing beauty, the latter reveal the touches of time and care, each year reminding us, by their absence, of some whom we shall not greet again, and whom we in our turn shall successively fol- low. I may too early attune your thoughts to sadness ; but these allusions force to my mind and to yours tlie name of one whose recent departure, in the very vigor of liis days, we all have mourned as the loss of a brother. It is not mjr province to utter his eu\ogj \ ^w^^^X.^^^^ 12 PROVINCE AND USES part which I have to perform in the exercises of this auuiversary, permits and invites a brief reference to his virtues. He was my friend. When he came to the pastorship of the ancient church in Providence, I was tlie pastor of a rural church in this state, at no great distance from him, and was honored with his confidence. From that time I knew him well. I never knew in- tegrity more perfect than his. Prudent and reserved, when he spoke his words were the exact transcript of his thoughts. Of ripe judgment, he was a sagacious and wise counsellor. With wonderful faith in right and in God, he looked for the triumph of truth and righteousness with a confidence as unquestioning as that of the astronomer looking for the calculated phenomena of the planets. Perhaps it required somewhat of inti- macy to know his emotional nature, — the depth, the unchangeableness of his love, which, as a pervading, characterizing sentiment, embraced his friends, — his work as a pastor, — and the cause of Christ, whether as a whole or in its special departments of education or missions, whether as connected with his own denomina- tion, or with that true church catholic which embraces the faithful of every clime and name. He was a rarely developed Christian man, whom, to human seeming, the church on earth could not aflFord to lose. We feel the pang of his absence here to-day, and before we pass to other themes we pay this brief tribute to the memory of James N. Granger. I liad another reason for obeying the summons which called me hither. It was my privilege to bear a part hi the formation of this Histoxical Society, auterior, OF BAPTIST HISTOBT. 13 indeed, to the formation, I bore a part in the public and private discussions wliich led to that event. Tliere were those among us who felt that materials for our denom- inational history were dropping away beyond recovery, for the lack of some repository in which they might be gathered, — that we were in danger of losing tlie his- toric spirit, for the lack of something to remind us of the names and deeds of our fathers — those true men who, in this and other lands, labored and suffered for our faith. It was our wish to link the living genera- tion with those who in all preceding times have been the representatives of our ideas of the Ciiristian econ- omy, and with those who shall come after us in the same evangelical succession. We believed the purpose a worthy one — one which would minister to faith, and hope, and charity, and which would grow in the inter- est and regard of the thoughtful and cultivated in our ministry and our churches. I am still impressed by similar convictions, and these gave the weight of au- thority to your wishes. In occupying your attention for an hour, I shall re- strict myself to topics closely related to the purposes of this society. I propose to offer some remarks on the Province and Uses of Baptist History; and if I dwell somewhat disproportionately on a single branch of the former of these topics, it will be from my desire to direct your attention to questions relating to the rise of our denomination which seem to me to have been studied less than they deserve. By Baptist History, I mean history with the restric- tion implied by that epithet, taken in its oxdm^xx ^^wja^ 2 14 PROVINCE AND USES In that sense the epithet is modem, belonging wholly to the period of the Reformation and the times succeed- ing. Tliere are those who regard it as the chief and distinguishing province of Baptist history to trace the stream of our sentiments from their primal fountain in the churches of the apostles, down through successions of organized communities, to the Baptists of modem times. I have little confidence in the results of any attempts of that kind which have met my notice, and I attach little value to inquiries pursued for the prede- termined purpose of such a demonstration. The past opens her testimonies not to those who approach her in the spirit of dictation, and to serve the ends of sect or party, but to those who come in a docile temper to accept her lessons, whatever they may be. It is a more legitimate task to search for the good seed of the king- dom, wheresoever or howsoever scattered in the lapse of ages, — whether manifesting itself in individual minds distinguished by faith and genius, in sects struggling to restore the primitive economy, and hunted and destroyed as heretics, or mingled with the mass of evangelical germs which never perished in the great apostasy ; and to note how that seed, when the Reformation came to the church like vernal suns and airs to the teeming, waiting earth, started into rank and even imhealthy growth. This is preliminary to Baptist history. It ex- plains how and why there came to be a Baptist denomi- nation, and hence a history with that epithet. In that sense it is within the province of Baptist history, but it is not that history itself. American history falls back upon English^ and English in its turn upon Continen- OP BAPTIST HISTORY. 16 tal, and this again upon Roman, Grecian and Asiatic ; but when, in the forces and events of these anterior periods, American history has accounted for its exist- ence and character, its province becomes peculiar and restricted. It is so with Baptist history. It falls back upon the anterior periods with which it is linked, and of which it is the oflFspring ; but, having in this way accounted for its rise, and explained its character, it becomes distinct and substantive, and belongs exclu- sively to modern times. It by no means follows, from the distinction which I have named, that this preliminary chapter is in any sense unimportant. I should be misconceived, were it supposed that I am aiming at that inference. It is, on the contrary, with the closing section of that cliapter that I am now for some little time, and as a leading topic, to occupy your attention. I shrink from no scrutiny in regard to the principles or the facts which gave rise to the Baptist denomination. I am not un- familiar with the facile and stereotyped reproaches which are cast upon our pedigree. It is easy for any sectary of the nineteenth century, judging of his own communion as he sees it now, and of otlier communions as they were, or as they were fepresented by their ene- mies to be, two or three centuries ago, to institute offen- sive comparisons. He may make the Episcopal Church odious, by presenting to the modern sense the revolting scenes of Smithfield, or the more refined atrocities of the period of the Corporation and Test Acts ;. or the Cliurch of Holland odious, by reminding the world that when the reformed of tliat country werm Bnmet here cited may be found in his Bidorji of the Reformation, Vol. II. p. 176. His recognition of the distinction between different sorts of Anabaptists, coincides strikingly with that of Lord Brooke, in his TVeatise on Episcopacy. This nobleman was a cuui- mander in the Parliamentary Army, and fell at Litchfield, in 1643. The tolerant sentiments of his treatise were praised by Milton, in his Fipeech for Hit Liberty of UnUcensed Printing, See Supplement to Neal's History qf the Puritans, Vol. 11. p. 365. « Bist, Bef, Vol. n. p. 179. OF BAPTIST HISTOBT. 27 doubtedly she hesitated to accept the common fiEuth in regard to the mystery of Clirist's human nature. The papist imagines that he honors the Lord by attributing sinlessness to the nature of the virgin mother of whom he took his flesh, and Joan, as I suppose, imagined that she honored him by denying that he took flesh of that mother at all, and requiring a higher miracle as the true solution of the incarnation. Her error was the natural reboimd from the Romish Mariolatry. But tliis error by no means justifies the historian in ranking her with the fanatical Anabaptists. It is not to be denied that her doubts on these questions were shared by a large portion — we know not how large — of those who were called " the gentle." On the Continent, as well as in England, this was charged against them as a distinctive Anabaptist heresy, and in their examinations before priests and magistrates was generally made a chief point. Whether it justifies the inference of their denial of the Divinity of Christ, is another question, not to be answered without discrimination. In the examination of Claes de Praet, at Ghent, in 1556, the priest alleged, " Your people do not believe that Christ is God and man." — " I believe," answered the martyr, " that Christ is truly God and man."^ Another of the martyrs, in his confession of faith, written subsequently to his examination, and giving an account of that trans- action, aflSrms his belief in the Divinity of Christ, in terms unquestionable for their orthodoxy.* Pieters and I Baptist Mariyrdlogy, Hanserd Knollys Society's ed., Vol. II. p. 88. « lb., p. 256. 28 PROVINCE AND USES Terwoort — Flemish Anabaptists who had sought a ref- uge in England, the sufferers in that sad tragedy of the year 1675, which stains the reign of Elizabeth — de- clared, " We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and man,"^ All these persons, however, decline to concede that Christ took his flesh of the virgin. That, say they, is not revealed. " We ought rather," urge the last named of these martyrs, ^^ to mark and appropriate the fruits of the incarnation and sufferings of Christ, than pertly to dispute of the derivation of his flesh ; which," they add, " we nevertheless confess, so far as Scripture hath testified thereon, being satisfied with what you desire, that he is come in the flesh." Then they ex claim, with touching pathos, " Would that the people were also content with that, and not urge us to confess that Christ derived his flesh from the ' substance of the Virgin Mary,* which we can neither comprehend nor believe ; since the word ' substance' is not to be found in the holy Scripture."* We certainly could not defend, indiscriminately, the soundness of ^abaptist views on the question of the Divinity of Christ ; but the testi- monies are ample and incontestable, that their question- ings about the mystery of his birth did not necessarily involve the denial of his Divinity. This incidental point, however, is perhaps a digres- sion. We have found Anabaptists in England, distin- guished fi^m the " fierce and barbarous," as " moderate and gentle." We have foimd them propagating their 1 Broadmead Becards, Hanserd Knollys Society's ed., Hist Int., p. Ixvii 2 Letter of the martyrs to John Fox, i6., Appendix, p. 505. OF BAPTIST mSTOBT. 29 doctrines and making proselytes. Whatever questions may arise as to the previous existence of persons of similar faith in England, from the time of Wickliffe down, it is certain that the seeds of Baptist faith now scattered germinated in English soil, and became in- eradicable. There are numerous incidental proofs of their activity and increase during the reign of Eliza- beth. Bishop Jewel ranks them among the ^^ pests" that sprang up, like mushrooms, ^' in the Marian night," and we may add, that not only sermons and books, but prisons and flames also, were witnesses of the prevailing zeal to pluck them up during the Elizabethan day. Whitgift declared that Puritanism would draw in Ana- baptism, and he was right. ^^ In the summer time," says Underbill, " they met in the fields. Seated on a bank, they read, and listened to exhortations, from the word of Grod, by some of their number. In the winter they assembled in a house, at the early hour of five ; the day was passed in prayer and Scripture exposition. They dined together, then collected money to pay for their food, carrying the surplus to any of their brethren who were in bonds for the testimony of a good con- science."^ We have thus the proofs of a connection in England between the moderate Anabaptists of the Continent and our English progenitors. We are now to see that Puri- tan exiles from England, dwelling amid such Anabap- tists on the Continent, imbibed their views, and returned to establish Baptist churches in their own land. I Broadmead Becords, Hist, lid,, pp. \., bud. 8* so PROVINCE AND tJSBS The limits within which I am necessarily confined do not permit me to enter at length on the perplexmg question of the Continental Anabaptists. The analysis already cited indicates the classes under which, with all their multiform varieties, they naturally fall. This general allusion, however, is hardly sufficient for our present purposes, and I may be pardoned, therefore, for recalling that question to your consideration, in order to determine more specifically the character of the peo- ple with whom the English exiles came in contact The world has heard so much of fi*antic proceedings on the Continent, which dishonored the name of Anabap- tists, that the name has come to be very generally regarded as applicable to madmen only, and the error can be corrected in no other way than by perpetual iteration. The rejection of infant baptism, at the period of the Eeformation, did not manifest itself as a mere vulgar error. It was so natural a development of the princi- ples of the Reformation, that it could not but suggest itself to the learned, and, at the same time, was so startling a development as to cause the conservative and the timid to hesitate before committing themselves to such a result. Melancthon acknowledged this as <* a weak point." " The questions concerning baptism affected me, and, in my opinion," said he, " not without good reason."^ It is melancholy to reflect that the same gentle name is associated in the proceedings of 1 Hagne'B Hist, Discourse, pp. 65, 67, 173. The authorities referred to X)y Dr. Hague, wre, Keander, in a conversation and in a letter, and Planclc's jffif^fy^^^P'^otettant Theology, Vol. II. p. 47. OF BAPTIST mSTOBT. 81 the Diet of Homburg, with the sentiment, ^^ that the Anabaptists may and ought to be restrained by the sword." ^ Zwingle, too, bitterly as he afterwards per- secuted the Anabaptists, was at first agitated by tlieir questions, and inclined to their views.' The same was true of Oecolampadius.' It was no easy thing to reconcile the involuntary rite with the obligations of a personal and voluntary profession, resulting logically from the doctrine of justification by faith. Men of learning and ability, friends and coadjutors of these reformers, gave up the attempt in despair, and com- mitted themselves to their principles, whithersoever they might lead. It was such men with whom the Anabaptists had their origin at Zurich. Alantz and Grebel, Hetzer and Hubmeyer, were all able and learned men.^ Mantz, in opposition to Zwingle's ^' indiscriminate church con- 1 Baptist Mcartpnlogy, Vol. I. p. 164. « J^., pp. 66, 71. * lb. 4 "The question of pssdobaptisin hegan to be agitated in Switzerland in 1523 or 1524. Among its earliest opponents were Balthasar Hubmeyer, Ck>nrad Grebel, Felix Mantz, and Louis Hetzer,— all men of learning and ability."— Boplitf Martynhgif, Vol. I. p. 6. In the ample and elaborate editorial additions and notes contained in the Hanserd Knollys Society's editions of these volumes, will be found biographical sketches, which remoYe the heavy weight of reproach under which party sphrit has for long buried some of these reformers. Hubmeyer was a brilliant scholar and preacher, and though there is reason to believe he partially recanted under torture, he reaffirmed his faith, and died a martyr. The monstrous and incredible charges against Hetzer seem to have been a later invention, to remove the ignominy of his condemnation. " No one," wrote an eye- witness, "has with so much charity, so courageously, or so gloriously laid down his Iffe for Anabaptism, as Hetzer. He was like one who spake with God and died." See Vol I. pp. 4— U, 12—16, 61— 15,^1— \^\. 82 PBOVINGB AND USES stitution,'' allied to the state, and upheld and promoted by its power, demanded a church composed of spir- itual persons only, introduced into it by a Toluntary baptism. He was reproached, in reply, as ^' wishing a church free from sin," and his followers as exalting themselves in point of holiness above their neighbors. He denied the right of the magistrate to interfere in matters of religion, and this was stigmatized as con- tempt by the civil authority. His career was short. The magistrates issued their edicts against the Anabap- tists, and persecution was commenced. Nevertheless, '^ in fields and in woods, as occasion offered, with the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures in his hand, he ex- pounded the word of Grod to the people who flocked to hear him." Seized and imprisoned, tried and con- demned, he died serenely, as became a Christian martyr. His death was by drowning. Zwingle, his old firiend, the companion of his earlier studies, who, in the sacred relations of friend and fellow-student, had known h^p doubts on baptism, and had himself felt their force, is reported by Brandt to have pronounced his sentence in the four words, scarcely less impious than unfeeling, "^wi iterum mergity mergatur.^^^ Erasmus, startled by these transactions in Zurich, in a letter to his friends in East Priesland, exhorting them to abide in the Ark, paid incidentally his tribute to the character of the sufferers : " a people," said he, " against whom there is very little to be said, and concerning whom we are assured there are many who have been reformed from 1 Brandt's Bist. Bef,, fol. ed., Vol. I. p. 57. OF BAPTIST HISTORY. 88 the worst to the best lives; and though perhaps they may foolishly err in certain opinions, yet have they never stormed towns nor churches, nor entered into any combinations against the authority of the magis- trate, nor driven anybody from his government or estate."* Contemporary with this movement in Switzerland, a similar people appear in the Netherlands. I cannot here pursue the history of their sufferings. It is among the most melancholy recitals of a period of horrors. Conceding the abuse of their principles by multiform sects who sprung from even the better class of them, and the extravagance and madness of others, between whom and these Christians there was never either con- nection or sympathy, it is sufficient for the present purpose to say that exemplary and suffering people, known by this name, transmitted their faith and their virtues to descendants in the Low Countries, with whom, three-fourths of a century later, our English progenitors came in contact. And yet I ought not to pass in utter silence over that great intervening period. The history of English liberty links itself indissolubly with the rise of the Dutch Republic. The impulses of that move- ment were felt across the channel, quickening the preparations for the Commonwealth and the English and American Revolutions. The history of that period indicates an honorable connection of the Anabaptists with the cause of the great Prince of Orange. When gloom rested heavily on his affairs; when his plans 1 Quoted in Brandt, Vol. I. p. SB. 3i PROVINCE AND USES demanded pecuniary supplies, for which he appealed to the rich and the great with little success ; when nobles and gentlemen, once foremost in his support, were now wavering and inactive, — we behold in his presence humr ble Anabaptist pastors, who, at the risk of their lives, had brought to his camp the contributions of their brethren. " They prayed him to take in good part that small present [of over a thousand guilders], declaring that they esteemed his favor greater than the gift, and that they never desired to be repaid." When the prince asked them what return he could make, they replied, "Nothing but his protection, in case (Jod bestowed upon him the government of these prov- inces." — "That," said the pruice, "would he show to all men, especially to them that were exiles and refugees as well as he."^ Nobly did he fulfil that pledge. Once and again he was importuned to pros- ecute the Anabaptists, and once and again he repelled the proposition. His testimony is conclusive as to their loyalty, their industry, and their virtue, — reminding us, by the terms in which it was given, of that of the Dutch ambassador Van Beuning, as furnished, at a later period, in his conversation on Toleration in the Netherlands, with the French warrior Turenne. " Why," said he, " should they not be tolerated ? They are very good and quiet people. Tliey do not aspire to dignities ; an ambitious man never meets them in his way ; they never oppose us by any competition and can- vassing. * * We do not fear the rebellion of a sect that 1 Brandt's Higt, Btf., Vol. I. p. 295. Motley's Dutch Bepublic, Vol. VL p. 250. 07 BAPTIST mSTOBT. 85 teaches, among other things, that one ought never to bear arms. * * We raise troops with their money, which do us more service than they would by listing themselves. They edify us by their simpUcity; they apply tliemselves to arts and trades, without lavishing away their estates by luxury and debauchery. * * These people think themselves as much bound by their promise to speaks the truth, as if they took an oath." ^ We may well repeat his question, " Why should they not be tolerated ? " It is a mournful reflection, that those who were urging William to persecute these quiet people, were themselves, at the very time, hunted by the sanguinary bigot whp sat upon the Spanish throne, and were pleading, in their own behalf, the rights of conscience. Among those whom William was asked to persecute, and of whose industry and thrift he is the witness, were the Anabaptists of Middelburg. In this very city oc- curred the first intercourse of the English exiles with the Dutch Anabaptists, of which we have knowledge. Here Robert Browne, with his followers, towards the close of the sixteenth century, foimd a refuge from persecutions at home. Their views of the spiritual character of the church rendered them peculiarly sus- ceptible to the influence of the Anabaptists, who formed at Middelburg " a flourishing community," and whose views " the greater part" of the exiles adopted.* We cannot suppose, however, that this occurrence at Mid- delburg was singular, even thus early in the history of ^ Bayle, Ait. Anabaptuts, note. ^ Broadmead Becords^ Hist, ltd,, p. xxxv. 26 PBOYINCE AND USES baptists], denied almost all the principles of the Chris- tian doctrine, and were men of fierce and barbarous tempers. * * These," he adds, " being joined under the common name of Anabaptists, with the other, brought them also imder an ill character." ^ Having given to his readers this distinction, — a dis- tinction required by that truth of history which Bishop Burnet reverenced, — he proceeds to state that, at the period in question, these people were disseminating their errors in England, and making proselytes, and that fresh measures were taken for removing this dan- ger. He says, however, that he knows of no severities used against the moderate or gentle kind, — that these were met by the more legitimate argument of books, to which they wrote replies.* We should be glad to give entire credit to his information on this point. Unfor- tunately, however, imder the description of the " fierce and barbarous," he sets down the name of the sufferer, Joan of Kent, with whose death stern history sadly connects the name of Cranmer. Authorities are not agreed as to the character of that unhappy woman, — some making her an example of consistent and zealous piety, and giving her a rank among the martyrs. Un- 1 The testimony from Bnmet here cited may be found in his Stgtory of the Reformation, Vol. II. p. 176. His recognition of the distinction between different sorts of Anabaptists, coincides strikingly with that of Lord Brooke, in his TVeatise on Episcopacy. This nobleman was a cuiu- mander in the Parliamentary Army, and fell at Litchfield, in 1643. The tolerant sentiments of his treatise were praised by Milton, in his Speech for the lAbeHy of VhUcensed Printing, See Supplement to Neal's Sitiory qf the Puritans, Vol. 11. p. 365. « ma. Rrf., Vol. n. p. 179. OF BAPTIST HISTOBT. 27 doubtedly she hesitated to accept the common faith in regard to the mystery of Christ's human nature. The papist imagines that he honors the Lord by attributing sinlessness to the nature of the virgin mother of whom he took his flesh, and Joan, as I suppose, imagined that she honored him by denying that he took flesh of that mother at all, and requiring a higher miracle as the true solution of the mcarnation. Her error was the natural reboimd from the Romish Mariolatry. But this error by no means justifies the historian in ranking her with the fanatical Anabaptists. It is not to be denied that her doubts on these questions were shared by a large portion — we know not how large — of those who were called " the gentle." On the Continent, as well as in England, this was charged against them as a distinctive Anabaptist heresy, and in their examinations before priests and magistrates was generally made a chief point. Whether it justifies the inference of their denial of the Divinity of Christ, is another question, not to be answered without discrimination. In the examination of Claes de Praet, at Ghent, in 1556, the priest alleged, " Your people do not believe that Christ is God and man." — "I believe," answered the martyr, " that Christ is truly God and man."^ Another of the martyrs, in his confession of faith, written subsequently to his examination, and giving an account of that trans- action, aflSrms his belief in the Divinity of Christ, in terms unquestionable for their orthodoxy.* Pieters and 1 Baptist Martyrdogy, Hansard Knollys Society's ed., Vol. II. p. 88. « lb., p. 256. 88 PROVINCB AND USES We have seen the unquestionable proofs of the mter- course of our English progenitors with the Dutch Ana- baptists, and of the powerful influence of that inter- course in moulding their views of the Christian Church. The Baptist denomination of to-day is, however, by no means the simple development of Dutch Anabaptism. Our ecclesiastical relations to that people are analogous to our political relations to the Dutch Republic. It is impossible to read the history of that republic without observing the identity of the principles there at work, with those which, at a later day, triumphed permanently under Cromwell, William and Mary, and Washington. And yet those principles did not so triumph on the Continent. The Dutch seemed to be wanting in the power of bringing those principles within the grasp of their consciousness, and in that sturdy practicalness of the English mind, which is never content until a prin- ciple becomes an embodied fact, adjusted to its relations to other principles and to other facts. The growth of our constitutional liberties could not have been what it was without the prior existence and influence of the Dutch Republic ; nor could these liberties have become what they are without the more potent conditions of English thought and life. The dependence and the in- dependence of the English Baptists were not different. When the exiled Brownists of Middelburg and Amster- dam, holding the doctrine of a church composed of spiritual persons, came in contact with the Dutch Ana- baptists, they found a people in advance of themselves in the development of that principle, by the logical and Scriptural exclusion of infants from baptism, and they OF BAPTIST HISTORY, 39 at once followed the new light. But in the further development of that principle, they parted from the Dutch where the Dutch parted from Christ and his apostles. They repelled the curious speculations of the Continental Anabaptists, in regard to the mode of the incarnation, and affirmed the lawfulness to Cliristian men of holding civil offices, and exercising tlie functions of civil magistrates. The mode of bap- tism, unsettled and various on the Continent, became with them the fixed mode of immersion, — with the greater faciUty, perhaps, because dipping had been preserved to about that time in the Church of Eng- land,^ but especially for the reason that a voluntary profession of personal faith must be in exact accord- ance with the statutes of the great Lawgiver himself. The English mind thus dropped oflF at once the leading eccentricities of the Continent; and as we trace the history of the EngUsh Baptists, we find, within a very brief time, that they have brought their new position into harmony, theologically and socially, with the great mass of reformed Christendom, while at the same time they have preserved the integrity and consistency of their principles. At the first, sympathizing with the Remonstrants, and therefore followers of Arminius, they became not long afterwards, in common with all Protestants, divided on the theological questions in- volved in that great controversy, constituting perma- nently two bodies, known as the General and the Paii;icular Baptists. The church of the latter, consti- ^ See Appendix I., B. 40 PROVINCE AND USES tuted in London in the year 1633, by a secession firom the Independent Church gathered by the Rev. Mr. Jacob, may be regarded as fixing the epoch of our own distinct denominational life, and as closing, there- fore, the preliminary chapter of our denominational history. We have seen, in the inquiries thus far pursued, that the Reformation was the work, not wholly or chiefly of princes, divines, or scholars, but of peoples of various nations, whose intellectual and religious life had at- tained a development which demanded freedom from the restrauits of the apostate hierarchy, and required ecclesiastical institutions in nearer accordance with the word of Grod. I think we have seen, likewise, that an ecclesiastical ancestry, found among those who had reached such a development, may be wanting in princely or priestly patronage, as were the primitive founders of the Christian Church, and yet not be wanting in true worth and honor. I have consumed, according, indeed, to my intima- tion at the outset, so large a portion of my time on the views now presented, that I am obliged to hasten over my remaining topics with very summary state- ments. Having thus accounted for its own rise, it belongs further to Baptist history to define, by a thorough analy- sis and exposition, the matured faith of the founders of the denomination, and to exhibit their true relations to other branches of the one Christian family. What was the position which our progenitors, by these mani- fold developments, and through these long struggles, OF BAPTIST mSTORT. 41 had attained, at the period which we have named as the epoch of our distinct and recognized denominational origin? What ideas did they represent? What mis- sion did they undertake? How far were those ideas and that mission the common distinctions of Protest- antism, and how far peculiar to themselves ? Happily, the materials for solving questions like these are abun- dantly supplied in our formularies and our literature. The rapid increase of Baptists from 1633 to 1643, had brought upon the rising sect the bitter reproaches of an age bitter with religious, controversy. Charged with being Pelagians, Socinians, Arminians, Soul-sleepers, and the like, and ridiculed as ignorant and fanatical, seven churches of London, in the latter year, issued their Confession of Faith, the first published by the Particular Baptists, and the type of all which have since followed.^ Preceding the Westminster Confession, it is not less sound in the fimdamentals of Christianity, as may be seen by comparing it with the work of the Westminster Assembly. It is remarkable for clearness, breadth, and acuteness, the production of cultivated minds, and an effectual answer to the reproaches which occasioned its issue. Among the names appended to it we observe those of Benj. Cox and Hanserd Knollys, distinguished as scholars and preachers ; Samuel Rich- ardson, a voluminous and able writer; and William Kiffin, who stood honored in the presence of kings. From this Confession, and from contemporary contro- versial works, the productions of men of learning and I See Appendix I., C. 4* 42 PBOVINCK AND USES ability, it is clear that the founders of the denomination demanded only a consistent and completed Reformation, — the restoration of evangelical faith and of apostoUc order. They accepted the prmciples of the Reforma- tion, with the design of carrying them out, and parted company with their brethren only when their brethren declined to follow those principles to their results. It is sometimes said that Baptists are not Protestants. I think it more just to say that they are Protestants by eminence, — protesting against, not Rome only, but against everything of Rome which Anglicans, Lu- therans, or Calvinists, retained in their ecclesiastical structure, their scientific theology, or their religious life. They accepted the apostolic as the model church ; and, with a total irreverence of popes, councils, and fathers, leaped the chasm of sixteen centuries, and planted themselves on the immovable rock of the Divine Word. In that Word they found simple and intelligible statements, — that apostles and evangelists went everywhere preaching the gospel, addressing to the consciences and hearts of intelligent and responsi- ble men and women, the claims of the divine law, and the necessity of faith in Christ; that those who ac- cepted Christ by a personal faith, professed him before the world by a voluntary baptism ; and that Christian churches were communities of men and women so con- verted and so baptized. These statements gave to them the law of their ecclesiastical polity. They protested, therefore, against the attempt, by a mechanical process, to make Christians of unconscious infants, as impossi- ble in itself, and as filling the church, which ought to be OP BAPTIST HISTOBY. 43 holy and separate from the world, witli unconverted persons ; and against all ecclesiastical authority, exist- ing or traditional, which enjoined or tolerated such a process. Since justification was by personal faith, since baptism was a voluntary act, since religious service could be accepted only as it was free, — they protested against all coercion in religion, whether themselves or others were the objects at which it was aimed. The baptism of infants, state churches, and persecution for religious opinions, they regarded as utterly irreconcila- ble with New Testament Christianity, and as retained from the apostate church, — the Babylonish garments and wedges of gold, destined to be the weakness and discomfiture of the Clu-istian Israel. Alas ! it was this radical demand, this demand for a reformed Reforma- tion, which arrayed agamst them the timid and the conservative, and that larger class who had not stated fully to their own minds the principles for which they were contending, and who remind us of Milton's lion, in process of creation, half formed, uprearing his noble head, shaking his brinded mane, pawing to get free, but fast bound to earth by parts yet unfinished. Having thus explained the origin, and the distinctive character and mission of the denomination, it is, finally, the province of Baptist history to trace the progress of our principles, both in our own denominational growth, and in the influence of these principles on other com- munions, and on the civilization of modern times. Planting himself at the period of the Confession of the Seven Churches, the Baptist historian, as he looks down the line of coming years, beholds struggles vrluclv \w\^\t 44 PROVINCE AND USES appall the stoutest heart, and, at the same time, tri- umphs, which, had they been uttered in prophecy, would have been scarcely less wonderful than those ancient ones in which the seers of the captivity pro- claimed the return to Zion. Their scanty numbers, increased, sometimes rapidly, sometimes slowly, for a hundred years, he sees then, under the impulse of a second Reformation, embodying more fully their ideas of a spiritual church, augmented by ratios which, at the end of a second century, give us adherents embracing millions, and an honorable rank among the forces of Protestant Christendom. The rapid spread of Baptist sentiments during the period of the English Common- wealth ; the maturing, strengthening, consolidating pro- cess of the succeeding period of persecution ; the min- istry and the dreams of Bunyan ; the General Assembly of 1689, representing more than one hundred congre- gations, met to celebrate their release from oppression, by organizing missionary labors, and providing for the education of their ministry ; the embodying of the dis- ' tinctive sentiments of the Baptists on liberty of con- science in a civil state on this side of the Atlantic ; the great names which adorn our history, in the depart- ments of literature, in civil station, in commerce, and in works of evangelical charity, — these are events and themes which arrest the attention of the historian, and invite and repay his labors. If their influence on other communions, and on society at large, is sought, it is seen in what they have done to raise the views of evangelical Christians generally, in regard to the spiritual character of the Christian Church; in the desuetude of infant OF BAPTIST HISTOBY. 45 baptism ; in the growth of that tree of liberty which they planted on the shores of the Naragansett, until a whole nation reposes Under its shadow ; and in the great questions of the church, and of church and state, which, in our own time, they have excited on the Con- tinent of Europe, which even now are agitating synods, consistories and cabinets, in France, Germany, Den- mark and Sweden, and which are manifestly destined to become the occasions of new triumphs. With enough of human infirmity and sin in our history to make us himible, there has been, by the blessing of the Divine Master whom we serve, enough of honorable success to inspire our hearts with higher hopes, and to encourage steadfastness and zeal in our future labors. With these brief references to the last topics ad- duced, we must pass from the consideration of the Province of Baptist History, to a few remarks on its Uses. I regret that my limits will not permit the ampler consideration of this theme which I had de- signed. I think that at the end of two hundred years we may fairly be summoned to show, by its practical work- ings, the superiority of the church-system which it is our mission to embody and illustrate. The friends of hereditary and of national churches — Lutheran, Cal- vinistic, and Anglican — have from the beginning ob- jected to the theory of churches composed of spiritual members only, that in this world of universal frailty it was visionary and impracticable. Even at the dawn of the Anabaptist movement in Switzerland, Zwingle made this a distinct point with the A\\^\i^^\As>\, ^'^ 48 1>B0VINCB AND USES universities, and some of them ranked high among the learned men of a learned age. Many of their contro- versial works were written with masterly ability. Vava- son Powell's examination of the Prayer Book was not less keen and eflfective than it was sententious and logical, and De Laxine's Plea for the Non-conformists honors the verdict of Defoe, who ranked him among the first of thinkers and scholars. Recall our progress. The first Particular Baptist church was organized, as we have seen, in 1633. In ten years seven churches in London united in a Confession. In the period of the Commonwealth they had increased so rapidly that it becomes impossible to trace their growth or to estimate their numbers. Hunted and oppressed during the suc- ceeding reigns of Charles and James, their men of learning and influence fined and imprisoned, they had nevertheless increased in numbers, and so consolidated their organizations, that more than one hundred con- gregations^ were represented in the General Assembly of 1689. It was impossible for a people, mainly of the middle and humbler classes, so persecuted and impov- erished, and shut out from the endowed schools and universities, to provide a learned ministry for the de- mands of such a growth. And yet the desirableness of learning to the ministry seems never even then to have been forgotten. Mr. Tombes, so early as 1650, had three young men under his personal instruction, two of whom subsequently rendered eminent service in our 1 All the Particular Baptist churches of the kingdom were not repre- sented in this Assembly. OF BAPTIST HI8T0BT. 49 churches. It is stated further, that in those days of common peril and suffering, this only practicable method was followed by Baptist and Pedobaptist pastors, with- out distinction of sentiment, on the part of the pupils, as to the points at issue between them. In 1675, letters were sent by the Baptist ministers of London to the chxirches throughout England and Wales, inviting then* brethren to a meeting, in the month of May following, to take measures ^^ for the providing an orderly standing ministry in the church, who might give themselves to reading and study, and so become able ministers of the New Testament." Dyke and Kifl&n were among the signers of this call. Whether the meeting was held, or what was the result, we do not know. In 1686, the venerable Terrill, of the Broadmead church, whose pas- tor, a man "of great learning,"* died in prison, for the testimony of Jesus, and who, himself a man of very con- siderable acquirements, appreciated the value of learn- ing to a minister of Christ, had left by his will the provision which subsequently became the foimdation of the Baptist College at Bristol. As soon as the heavy weight of persecution was removed by the glorious Rev- olution of 1688, the Gteneral Assembly, already alluded to, met in London, and took vigorous measures for the education of the ministry of our churches. The bene- factions of Hollis to Harvard College and to the Phila- delphia Association ; the early efforts of that Associa- tion, prompted by these benefactions, to secure an educated ministry ; the Education Society at Charles- 1 Broadmead Becords, p. 493. 52 PROVINCE AND USES hold of faith. In urging an awakened denominational spirit, I shall not, I trust, be suspected of a wish to violate the charity of this comprehensive and sacred relationship. What I ask is that we may understand ourselves, and perform in the spirit of Christianity our distinctive mission. As it was the maintenance and spread of certain principles which justified the original formation of Baptist churches, so, if their continuance is to be justified, it must be on similar grounds. Our fathers formed churches not to supplement the gospel of the Reformation, but to give it fi:^e scope and power, — to rescue it from perversions and additions, and to embody it in institutions of Divine appointment, and therefore of greater efficiency in the world's regenera- tion. The principles for which they contended were the unshared authority of the Word of God, the per- sonal character of faith and a religious profession, and the inviolability of the rights of conscience. They de- manded that Christ alone be King in Zion, reigning over voluntary subjects, by laws of his own ordination. The Christian world more nearly accords with us now on all these questions than it did two hundred years ago ; especially is this true in this country and in Great Britain, the more immediate sphere of our influ- ence. The practices of our brethren around us have burst the restraints of their written formularies, and some of them have but to state their positions to their own consciousness, and they are Baptists at once. It is a striking fact, that at the very time when the desue- tude of infant baptism in evangelical churches is arrest- ing attention and challenging inquiry, the work of OF BAPTIST HISTORY. 53 Litton/ one of the most elaborate and scientific works on the church which have appeared in our language for two centuries, takes fundamental grounds which, by a logical and by a well-nigh admitted necessity, make the church Baptist. We have gained much, but not all. In Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, our controversies of one and two centuries ago are renewed to-day. .The field of religious liberty with us is won ; but even here tradition has not given place to the complete supremacy of Scripture, nor is the spiritual character of the primi- tive churches fuUy restored. We have a great work still before us. We may increase our numbers, while we fulfil but imperfectly this distinctive mission. We may stand on an equal footing with our bretlu'en in the matters of wealth, culture, and social position — in the learning of our ministry, and in the luxury and ele- gance of our appointments for worship, and yet may fail to bear our proper part in that great purpose which justified and demanded our denominational origin, and which has illustrated and adorned our denominational history. It was the aim of our progenitors to restore the order of apostolic churches, and so to bring back the power of primitive Christianity. "I believe and 1 The Church of Christ, in its Idea, Attributes, and Ministry: with a Particular Reference to the Controversy on the Subject between Roman- ists and Protestants. By Edward Arthur Litton, M. A., Perpetual Curate of Stockton Heath, Cheshiro, and late Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford. Philadelphia, 1856. Mr. Litton's worlt coincides in important particulars with the work of the Rev. John S. Stone, D. D., on the True Comprehension of the Church, printed several years ago, for his own congregation, — that of Christ Church, Brooklyn. It is to be regretted that ^rtions of Mr. Litton'^ work are omittci} iu the Amencau editiQu. 5* 54 PROVINCE AND USES OF BAPTIST HISTORY. know," said Hubmeyer, "that Christendom will not receive its rising aright, till baptism and the Lord's Supper are restored to their original purity."^ In that faith, seeking a perfected reformation, our fathers la- bored. Whether preaching to little congregations in England, gathered privately to avoid the interruptions of oflBcials and the penalties of tlie law, or itinerating among the new settlements of this coimtry, and plant- ing the seeds of the gospel with the first opening of the soil to cultivation, everywhere they understood, with remarkable distinctness, the character of their work, and felt its high inspiration. We shall catch their spirit by studying their deeds. We shall then imitate their zeal, and renew their successes. We shall gain, not a mere party triumph, which is unworthy of Chris- tian men, but the. increase of that moral power in the church, which, under the blessing of God, will the sooner achieve the world's regeneration. Let our name^ and our memory perish, if only Christ reigns in an obedient and sanctified church. And he must so reign ; for, in the glorious words of the same martyr, "Divine truth is immortal; it may, perhaps, for long, be bound, scourged, crowned, crucified, and for a season be entombed in the grave; — but on the third day it shall rise again victorious, and rule and triumph forever."* 1 Baptist Martyrdlogyy Vol. I. p. 72. 2 See Appendix I. D. 8 Quoted ]t)y E. B. Underbill, Esq., Christian I^mew, 1852, p. 48. APPENDIX I. NOTES. A. THE ALLEGED SELF-BAPTISM OF JOHN SMYTH. B. THE HISTORICAL BAPTISM OF THE ENGLISH PEOPLE. C. CREED-STATEMENTS IN THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION. I>. "BAPTISTS." 60 NOTES. his wife Maiy. A few remained of the first opinion, among whom was Thomas Helwisse. I have seen a MS. letter of his, in which this subject is taken up and argued with the Dutch pastors to whom this letter is addressed, and he also treats of the succession of the ministry in reference to the same subject, in a printed work still extant. A copy of this letter I hope soon to possess. I may, therefore, confidently aflton, that the charge of baptizing himself is, with respect to Smyth, a calumny; but arose from the circumstance referred to. In no other way can we account for the silence with respect to it, observed by himself in his writings, and in those of his fiiends." 11 THE HISTORICAL BAPTISM OP THE ENGLISH PEOPLE. The Latin origin of Christianity in England would lead very naturally to the use of Saxonized forms of the Greek-Latin baptizo^ at least occasionally, during the An- glo-Saxon period. That they were so used, is certain. Bosworth, in his Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, has " Baedzere, baezere, es ; m. baezera, an ; m. ^ baptizer^ baptist^ R." — the "R.'' referring to the Rushworth, or Northumbrian Gloss or version of the Four Gospels, written in the tenth century. The use of these transferred forms seems, how- ever, to have been very limited. The common words were, fuUian^ fulwian^ fuUuht^ fulwiht^ fuLwere^ etc., all translations into the vernacular of the original words denoting the Christian rite. They occur, in numberless instances, in Anglo-Saxon literature, and do not disappear from the language until the incoming of the Norman French element, with which came in our present terms denoting baptism, has fully constituted the English lan- guage. For a time, the Saxon terms for baptism were used interchangeably with those of the Norman French ; but, in the full development of the language, the latter gained the permanent place, and the former faded utterly away. A few notes of this process may be of interest to the reader: 6 61 7- ;. ii. ii- .-:i:iii rile .1 was 01 •Ill- it inilc»l n-'t ./ :u■^omJ•Ii^hcd ..- chosvn :u5 tx- \ i>il»k* act of bap- .ncomiilishetl by it. ■if extracts from iho rcsently given. :' the tenth century, in ■;>ni occurs, is accessible ners' Cyclojxeifia o/ /-//;/- was Alfric, Archbishop t)f e beginning of the eleveutli 'Ihcl^ ac hit ne bract na his liiw * bco with-innan awoiul. Hit Miurh Adames forgaegednysso to -t bith athwogen fram ealhun syii- li dhe hit with-utan his liaw no «^ tha halige fant waetcr, dhe is j^r- »rj, is ge-lic on hiwe odhrum wnetcruin, wl brosnunge; ac dhaes hal^an pistis tham brosnigcndiclnm w:ioton» dlmrh :e, and hit maeg sythan licliMiiiaii mid laui eallum synnum, dhurh gastlioe niihlr.** 1 Vol. I. p. 3. 62 NOTES. The Anglo-Saxon language and literature were at their zenith at the period of Alfred the Great, who died 901. The language, however, remained Anglo-Saxon, until the Norman Conquest, which occurred in 1066, had begun to impress its permanent marks on the life of the people. Then commenced the changes which ultimately ripened into the language which we now speak. Sir Frederic Madden, in his Preface to LayamorCa Brut^ denotes these changes thus : Semi-Saxon, flrom A. D. 1100, to A. D. 1230. Early English, " 1230, " 1330. Middle English, " 1330, " 1500 Later English, " 1500, " 1600. We shall trace the words, used by our forefathers to express the rite of baptism, from Anglo-Saxon times, down through these successive periods. ANGLO-SAXON. The word used in the Anglo-Saxon Version of the New Testament^ — a version belonging to the eighth cen- tury — was usually fyUian. In one instance baptism was denoted by a word denoting washing^ and in one instance Baptiatam occurs in translating the name and title of John the Baptist.^ As this version was translated from the Latin, it is by no means singular that such a Latin form should have been brought into it. That no more were brought in, shows how much such forms were strangers to the people for whom the version was designed. ^ Gotch'a Critical ExamtuUion in Appendix to Bible Question, pp. 200, 201, APPENDIX. 63 Mr. GrOtch refers, likewise, to Anglo-Saxon Grospels, foand in the Bodleian Library, and in the Pablic Library at Cambridge, in which the wctds dyppan and depan^ to dip^ are used in two or three instances, to translate bap- tizare. These translations were not usual, but they indi- cate, beyond question, the oc^ by which the Christian rite was in those days performed. The word which was com- monly used by the Anglo-Saxons, fuUian^ denoted not only drenching, but the process of cleansing accomplished by it, and we may suppose, therefore, was chosen as ex- pressing their notion not only of the visible act of bap- tism, but also of the spiritual effects accomplished by it. This view is confirmed by one of the extracts from the Vision of Piers Ploughman, to be presently given. A specimen of Anglo-Saxon of the tenth century, in which the word denoting baptism occurs, is accessible to readers generally, in Chambers' Cydopcedia of Eng- lish Literature} The author was Alfiic, Archbishop of Canterbury, who died in the beginning of the eleventh century. ^ Haethen cild bith ge-fuUod, ac hit ne braet na his hiw with-utan, dheah dhe hit beo with-innan awend. Hit bith ge-broht synfull dhurh Adames forgaegednysse to tham fant fiite. Ac hit bith athwoge^ fram eallum syn- num withinnan, dheah dhe hit with-utan his haw ne awende. Eac swylce tha halige fant waeter, dhe is ge- haten lifes wyl-spring, is ge-lic on hiwe odhrum waeterum, and is under dheod brosnunge; ao dhaes halgan gastes niht ge-nealaecth tham brosnigendiclum waetere dhurh sacerda bletsunge, and hit maeg sythan lichaman and sawle athwean fram eallum synnum, dhurh gastlice mihte." 1 Vol. I. p. 3. 64 NOTES. The degeneracy of Anglo-Saxon in this passage is not less noticeable than the degeneracy of its theology. The passage serves, however, the* present purpose, by illustrat- ing the use of the term denoting baptism. Keduced to English, the passage is as follows : "A heathen child is christened (baptized, ge-fuUod^ yet he altereth not his shape without, though he be within changed. He is brought sinful through Adam's disobe- dience to the font-vessel. But he is washed from all sins inwardly, though he outwardly change not his shape. Even so the holy font-water, which is called life's fountain, is like in shape to other waters, and is subject to corrup- tion ; but the Holy Ghost's might comes to the corruptible water through the priest's blessing, and it may afterwards wash body and soul fiom all sin, through ghostly, might." SEMI-SAXON. The Norman Conquest had now occurred, and changes induced by that event had begun to take place. Layor mo7i^8 JBru% a metrical Chronicle of Britain, belonging to the close of the twelfth or the beginning of the thir- teenth century, will ftimish the necessary illustrations. Sir Frederic Madden, from whose edition I quote, says : " The language of Layamon belongs to that transition period in which the ground-work of Anglo-Saxon phraseology and grammar still existed, although gradually yielding to the influence of the popular forms of speech." ^ The popular forms of speech, there is reason to believe, were somewhat in advance of Layamon's style ; that is, more of the Nor- man and accompanying elements had been introduced ^ Preface, p. xxviU. APPENDIX. 65 into the spoken language of the mingled Saxon and Nor- man people, than the style of Layamon would seem to indicate. Layamon seems almost to avoid Norman words, when certainly it is impossible to suppose that they had not become common. I do not find that he ever used the words baptize^ baptism^ etc., though it cannot be doubted that they had already begun to find a place in ordinary language. The rite of baptism is frequently mentioned, but, so far as I have discovered, always with the Saxon terms. The following extracts, accompanied with trans- lations, will show the state of the language, as indicated by his writings : and the feire Austin, the fuUuht broute hider in. And the fair Austin, who brought baptism in hither.^ and thus heo wuneden here an hundred and fif yere that neuere com here cristindon i cud i thissen londe. no belle i-rungen, no masse isunge na chirche ther nes ihaleyed no child ther nes \fuleifed. * And thus they dwelt here an hundred and five years, so that never Christendom came here to be known in the land, nor bell rung, nor church was there hallowed, nor mass sung, nor child was there baptized.* Austin wede wide yeond Englene-londe J Vol I. p. 2. s YoV. TO. ^. VBft. 6* 66 NOTES. he fuUehtede king^s and heore here-dringes; he fttUelUede eorles ; he fuMehtede beornes; he fuUehtede Englisce men; he fuUehtede Sexisce men, and sette an godes honde al that was on londe. Tha wes he ful blithe-mod that folc he hafde iblessid. Austin proceeded wide over England ; he baptized kings and their chieftans ; he baptized earls ; he baptized barons; he baptized Englishmen ; he baptized Saxigh men, and set in God's hand all that was in the land. Then was he of full blithe mood, that he had rendered the folk joyful.^ EABLY ENGLISH. We come now to the word baptize^ used in an early English poem, the production of Robert of Gloucester, whose period is fixed at about 1280. His work is a Met- rical History of England, and has been commonly held as the oldest extant work which may properly be regarded as in the English language. This writer uses the word baptize as one entirely familiar, though he uses fuUed likewise. CJostantyn ne com nower in batail non That he nadde thorg the crois the maistri of fon. So that he hym vnderstood of the beste won And of Seynt Siluestre the pope hym let baptize anon. And he was (as yt is ywrite) pur mesel tho, An he bi com in hys baptizing hoi of ys wo, Seynt Siluestre was pope tho, and the first that ther com Of alle popes that deide with oute martirdom. APPENDIX. C7 For ther was non by fore him that he martired noB, Of the luther empcroores, for cche hethene was A chirche of Seynt Ion the baptist Constantyn let rcre And clepude yt Costantiniane, for he was ybaptized there.i The following is fiom Robert Manning (Robert de Brunne), another of the Rhyming Chroniclers, who flour- ished at the close of the reign of Edward I., and through- out the reign of Edward II. Edward I. died in 1307, and Edward II in 1327. Certes Saladyn, said the kyng Richere, To make partie ageyn myn yit ha thou gode powere, And for the pes to seke has thoa no mystere, Ther tille to mak me meke, my herte to yit in wehere. Tho has power inoah, whereto askes thoa pes? And my wille wille not bouh, to grant that thoa chcs. If thou the lond wille yeld, thereof is to speke. And sithen if thoa wild thy lay forsak and breke. And take oar bapteme of fante, as childre ying, I sail gyae the a reame, and do the coroan kyng.2 MIDDLE ENGLISH. The Vision of Piers Ploughman leads us along another step in the growth of our language. This poem belongs to the latter part of the fourteenth century — probably to the year 1362. It is "peculiarly a national work. It is the most remarkable monument of the public spirit of our forefathers in the middle, or, as they are often termed, dark ages. It is a pure specimen of the English language at a period when it had sustained few of the corruptions which have disfigured it since we have had writers of * Grammars.' * * * * It is, moreover, the finest example 1 Heame's Ed., 1724, p. 86. See likewise Glossary, /ufled. * J?. qfBrunne, Heame's Ed. p. 193. 58 NOTES. The biographers of Mr. Smyth, and the Baptist Histo- rians, Crosby and Ivimey, have been entirely skeptical in regard to this alleged self-baptism. It has been argued that the charge has proceeded from enemies only, and that, if there had been any truth in it, some intimation of the propriety of such an act would have been found somewhere in the writings of Mr. Smyth, or in those of his friends. Speculations of this sort, however, are hardly a reply to the express testimony of Mr. Robinson. Was Mr. Robinson mistaken? He was not an eye-wit- ness, — he was a resident of Amsterdam for a brief time only, and then went to Leyden, — he "heard'' the man- ner of establishing the new church narrated. Did he understand con-ectly what he heard? Or, did he misin- terpret instituting baptism among them^selves, by suppos- ing it to mean self-baptism^ The controversy seems to be narrowed down to this single question. No inference can be drawn from the silence of Mr. Smyth after Mr. Robinson's book was written ; — Mr. Smyth was already dead, and Mr. Helwisse, if still alive, was in England. It is not certain, however, that Mr. H. was still living. On the supposition that Mr. Robinson misinterpreted what he had heard, the circumstances of the case render it easy enough to suppose the statement might pass to history uncontradicted. Recent testimony, referred to in the foregoing discourse, reaches the point in question. Edward Bean Underbill, Esq., an English Baptist, whose historic researches render him authority, in a letter to the Rev. David Benedict, D. D., dated London, Oct. 13, 1849, and published in the ^ew York Recorder of Nov. 21, writes as follows : " In a visit I lately paid to Amsterdam, I found some more interesting manuBcripta Ye\aXi\^ lo the church of APPENDIX. 69 • which John Smyth was pastor, with the original Confes- sions of Faith, published by him and his ' Company.' I was also able to discover and elucidate the name of Se- Baptist, given to John Smyth, and so often used as a name of reproach. As these documents are now being copied for me, I am not able to send you the particulars, but the general facts are as follows : "On Smyth and his people becoming Baptists, the question arose how they were to commence the practice of the rite, and by whom it should be administered. Tlie Dutch Baptists, or Mennonites, held at the time the opin- ion, that baptism should be administered only by a minis- ter or elder in office. As Smyth did not agree, in several matters, with the Dutch, they were unwilling to resort to them for baptism, and became of the opinion that it might be originated among tJiemadves; they were there- fore called /Se-Baptists — persons baptizing themselves; — not that each one dipped or baptized himself, but among them they commenced the practice. After this, Smyth and several more came to be of the same opinion, on this and other points, with the Dutch, and applied to be ad- mitted to communion with them. The Dutch received them, but at the same time required a recantation of their error. A fac-simile of this document I possess. The heading is in Latin, purporting that the persons whose names are subscribed renounce the sentiment that they may se ipsos baptizare^ — baptize themselves, — as con- trary to the order of Christ. It thus appears that the equivocal phrase, "se ipsos baptizare," became the foun- dation of the charge that Smyth baptized himself. But, from the controversy which arose, it is evident that the meaning of the words is as I have stated it. Among the names which follow is the autograph of John Sm^>iJcv ^\A 60 NOTES. his wife Mary. A few remained of the first opinion^ among whom was Thomas Helwisse. I have seen a MS. letter of his, in which this subject is taken up and argued with the Dutch pastors to whom this letter is addressed, and he also treats of the succession of the ministry in reference to the same subject, in a printed work still extant. A copy of this letter I hope soon to possess. I may, therefore, confidently afOum, that the charge of baptizing himself is, with respect to Smyth, a calumny; but arose from the circumstance referred to. In no other way can we account for the silence with respect to it, observed by himself in his writings, and in those of his fiiends." 11 THE HISTORICAL BAPTISM OP THE ENGLISH PEOPLE. The Latin origin of Christianity in England would lead very naturally to the use of Saxonized forms of the Greek-Latin baptizo^ at least occasionally, during the An- glo-Saxon period. That they were so used, is certain. Bosworth, in his Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, has " Baedzere, baezere, es ; m, baezera, an ; la. A haptizer^ baptist^ R." — the "R." referring to the Rushworth, or Northumbrian Gloss or version of the Four Gospels, written in the tenth century. The use of these transferred forms seems, how- ever, to have been very limited. The common words were, fuUian^ fulwian^ fuUuht^ fidwihty fulwere^ etc., all translations into the vernacular of the original words denoting the Christian rite. They occur, in numberless instances, in Anglo-Saxon literature, and do not disappear from the language until the incoming of the Norman French element, with which came in our present terms denoting baptism, has fully constituted the English lan- guage. For a time, the Saxon terms for baptism were used interchangeably with those of the Norman French ; but, in the full development of the language^ the latter gained the permanent place, and the former faded utterly away. A few notes of this process may be of interest to the reader: 6 62 NOTES. The Anglo-Saxon language and literature were at their zenith at the period of Alfred the Great, who died 901. The language, however, remained Anglo-Saxon, until the Norman Conquest, which occurred in 1066, had begun to impress its permanent marks on the life of the people. Then commenced the changes which ultimately ripened into the language which we now speak. Sir Frederic Madden, in his Preface to LayamorCa Brut^ denotes these changes thus : Semi-Saxon, from A. D. 1100, to A. D. 1230. Early English, " 1230, " 1330. Middle EngUsh, " 1330, " 1500 Later English, " 1500, " 1600. We shall trace the words, used by our forefathers to express the rite of baptism, from Anglo-Saxon times, down through these successive periods. ANGLO-SAXON. The word used in the Anglo-Saxon Version of the New Testament^ — a version belonging to the eighth cen- tury — was usually fvUian. In one instance baptism was denoted by a word denoting washing^ and in one instance Baptistam occurs in translating the name and title of John the Baptist.^ As this version was translated from the Latin, it is by no means singular that such a Latin form should have been brought into it. That no more were brought in, shows how much such forms were strangers to the people for whom the version was designed. 1 Gotch's Critical Examination in Appendix to Bible Question, pp. 200, 20L APPENDIX. 63 Mr. Gotch refers, likewise, to Anglo-Saxon Grospels, foand in the Bodleian Library, and in the Pablic Library at Cambridge, in which the wctds dyppan and depan^ to dip^ are used in two or three instances, to translate bap- tizare. These translations were not usual, but they indi- cate, beyond question, the CLct by which the Christiau rite was in those days performed. The word which was com- monly used by the Anglo-Saxons, fuUian^ denoted not only drenching^ but the process of cleansing accomplished by it, and we may suppose, therefore, was chosen as ex- pressing their notion not only of the visible act of bap- tism, but also of the spiritual effects accompUshed by it. This view is confirmed by one of the extracts from the Vision of Piers Ploughman, to be presently given. A specimen of Anglo-Saxon of the tenth century, in which the word denoting baptism occurs, is accessible to readers generally, in Chambers' Of/dopcBdia of Eng- lish Literature} The author was Alfric, Archbishop of Canterbury, who died in the beginning of the eleventh century. " Haethen cild bith ge-fvUod^ ac hit ne braet na his hiw with-utan, dheah dhe hit beo with-innan awend. Hit bith ge-broht synfuU dhurh Adames forgaegednysse to tham fant fate. Ac hit bith athwoge^ fram eallum syn- num withinnan, dheah dhe hit with-utan his haw ne awende. Eac swylce tha halige fant waeter, dhe is gc- haten lifes wyl-spring, is ge-lic on hiwe odhrum waeterum, and is under dheod brosnunge; ao dhaes halgan gnstes niht ge-nealaecth tham brosnigendiclum waetere dhurh sacerda bletsunge, and hit maeg sythan lichaman and sawle athwean fram eallum synnum, dhurh gastlice mihte." 1 Vol. I. p. 3. 64 NOTES. The degeneracy of Anglo-Saxon in this passage is not less noticeable than the degeneracy of its theology. The passage serves, however, the* present purpose, by illustrat- ing the use of the term denoting baptism. Keduced to English, the passage is as follows : "A heathen child is christened (baptized, ge-fuUod)^ yet he altereth not his shape without, though he be within changed. He is brought sinful through Adam's disobe- dience to the font-vessel. But he is washed from all sins inwardly, though he outwardly change not his shape. Even so the holy font-water, which is called life's fountain, is like in shape to other waters, and is subject to corrup- tion ; but the Holy Ghost's might comes to the corruptible water through the priest's blessing, and it may afterwards wash body and soul fiom all sin, through ghostly, might." SEMI-SAXON. The Norman Conquest had now occurred, and changes induced by that event had begun to take place. Laya- morHs Bru% a metrical Chronicle of Britain, belonging to the close of the twelfth or the beginning of the thir- teenth century, will furnish the necessary illustrations. Sir Frederic Madden, from whose edition I quote, says : " The language of Layamon belongs to that transition period in which the ground-work of Anglo-Saxon phraseology and grammar still existed, although gradually yielding to the influence of the popular forms of speech." ^ The popular forms of speech, there is reason to believe, were somewhat in advance of Layamon's style ; that is, more of the Nor- man and accompanying elements had been introduced 1 Preface, p. xxvili. APPENDIX. 65 into the spoken language of the mingled Saxon and Nor- man people, than the style of Layamon would seem to indicate. Layamon seems almost to avoid Norman words, when certainly it is impossible to suppose that they had not become common. I do not find that he ever used the words baptize^ baptism, etc., though it cannot be doubted that they had already begun to find a place in ordinary language. The rite of baptism is frequently mentioned, but, so far as I have discovered, always with the Saxon terms. The following extracts, accompanied with trans- lations, will show the state of the language, as indicated by his writings : and the feire Austin, the /uUuht broute hider in. And the &ir Austin, who brought baptism in hither.^ and thns heo wuneden here an hundred and fif yere that nenere com here cristindon 1 end i thissen londe. no belle i-mngen, no masse isunge na chirche ther nes ihaleyed no child ther nes ifideyed. And thus they dwelt here an hundred and five years, so that never Christendom came here to be known in the land, nor bell rung, nor church was there hallowed, nor mass sung, nor child was there baptized.* Austin wede wide yeond Englene-londe J Vol L p. 2. s YoV. m. ^. veft. 6* 66 NOTES. he fuUehtede king^cs and heore here-dringes; he fuUefUede eorles ; he fuUehtede beornes; he fuUehtede Englisce men; he fuUehtede Sexisce men, and sette an godes bonde al that was on londe. Tba wes he ful blithe-mod that folc he hafde iblessid. Austin proceeded wide over England ; he baptized kings and their chieilans ; he baptized earls ; he baptized harons; he baptized Englishmen ; he baptized Saxi$h men, and set in God's hand all that was in the land. Then was he of full blithe mood, that he had rendered the folk joyful.^ EABLY ENGLISH. We come now to the word baptize^ used in an early English poem, the production of Robert of Gloucester, whose period is fixed at about 1280. His work is a Met- rical History of England, and has been commonly held as the oldest extant work which may properly be regarded as in the English language. This writer uses the word baptize as one entirely familiar, though he uses fuUed likewise. Costantyn ne com nower in batail non That he nadde thorg the crois the maistri of fon. So that he hym vnderstood of the beste won And of Seynt Siluestre the pope hym let baptize anon. And he was (as yt is ywrite) pnr mesel tho, An he bi com in hys baptizing hoi of ys wo, Seynt Silnestre was pope tho, and the first that ther com Of alle popes that deide with oute martlrdom, 1 Vol. III. p. 100, \Q\. APPENDIX. 67 For ther was non by fore him that he martu^ nas. Of the lather emperoures, for eche hethene was A chirche of Seynt Ion the baptist Constantyn let rere And clepude yt Ck>stantinianc, for he was t^ptized there.^ The following is fiom Robert Manning (Robert de Brunne), another of the Rhyming Chroniclers, who flour- ished at the close of the reign of Edward I., and through- oat the reign of Edward II. Edward I. died in 1307, and Edward II in 1327. Certes Saladyn, said the kyng Richere, To make partie ageyn myn yit ha thou gode powerc, And for the pes to seke has tbou no mystere, Ther tille to mak me meke, my herte to yit in wehere. Tho has power inouh, whereto askes thou pes ? And my wille wille not bouh, to grant that thou ches. If thou the lond wille yeld, thereof is to speke. And sithen if thou wild thy lay forsak and breke, And take our bapteme of funte, as childre ying, I saU gyue the a reame, and do the coroon kyng.2 MIDDLE ENGLISH. The Vision of Piers Ploughman leads us along another step in the growth of our language. This poem belongs to the latter part of the fourteenth century — probably to the year 1362. It is "peculiarly a national work. It is the most remarkable monument of the public spirit of our forefathers in the middle, or, as they are often termed, dark ages. It is a pure specimen of the English language at a period when it had sustained few of the corruptions which have disfigured it since we have had writers of * Grammars.' * * * * It is, moreover, the finest example 1 Heame's Ed., 1724, p. 86. See likewise Glossary, /uOed. *^. of Brunne, Heame's Ed. p. 193. 68 NOTES. left of the kind of versification which was purely English, inasmuch as it had been the only one in use among our Anglo-Saxon progenitors, in common with the other peo- ple of the North." ^ The great popularity which it at- tained continued for near a century, and was afterwards renewed at the period of the Reformation. It was still a popular poem in the days of Spenser, Shakspeare, and Ben Jonson. In this poem baptism and the old Saxon fulling are used interchangeably, as the one or the other occurs to the writer's mind, or sounds the more agreeably in his verse. Trojanus was a trewe knyght. And took nevere Cristendom, And he is saaf, so seith the book And his sonle in hevene. For ther is JvUyinge of font, And fuBynge in blood shedyng. And thoragh fir is fuUyng, And that is ferme bileve. — [L. 7998. In the following passage, baptism is compared to the literd process of ftilling : Al was hethynesse some time Engelond and Walis, Til Gregory garte clerkes To go here and preche; Anstyn at Gannterboiy Cristnede the kyng. And thoragh miracles, as men now rede, Al that marche he tomede To Crist and to cristendom, And cros to hononre; And foOede folk faste, And the feith tanghte, ' Wright's Ed., 1856, Introd. pp. xxvV\.,tct?i\^. APPENDIX. 69 Moore thorugh mirades Than thorugh much prechyng As wel thorugh hise werkes As with hise holy wordes. And seid hem what fidlynge And feith was to mene. Glooth that cometh fh> the wevying Is noght comly to were Til it be fuUed under foot Or in fuUying stokkes, Wasshen wel with water. And with taseles cracched, T-touked and y-teynted, And under taillours hande; Right so it fareth by a bam. That bom is of a wombe. Til it be cristned in Cristes name. And eonfermed of the bisshope. It is hethene as to hevene-ward And help-lees to the soule. — [L. 10541. In the next quotation, the word baptism is used : Fendes and fyndekynes Blfore me shal stande And be at my biddyng Wher so evere me liketh ; And to be merciable to man Thanne my kynde asketh. For we be the bretheren of blood, But noght in baptisme alle. Ac alle that beth myne hole bretheren. In blood and in baptisme, Shul noght be dampned to the deeth. That is withouten ende. — [L. 12839. In the following, fvJUynge and baptisme are used inter- jhangeably : The Jewes that were gentU men, Jhesus thei despised, Booth his ioore and his lawe; 70 NOTES. Now are thei lowe cherles. As wide as the world is, Noon of hem ther wonyeth But under tribut and taillage, As tikes and cheiies; And tho that bicome cristene Bi coonseil of the bapHsme Aren fhmkeleyns, tree men, Thorogh fuHynge that thei toke. And gentil men with Jhesu; For Jhesa was jtJvUed, And upon Calvary on cros T-crowned kyng of Jewes. — [L. 13041. Chaucer wrote a little latere and in language with much larger admixtures of foreign elements. In his Persones Tale, he says : *' And now, sith I hau delared you what thing is pen- ance, now ye shal understand, that there ben three actions of penance. The first is, that a man be baptised after that he hath sinned. Seynt Augustine ^ayth : ^ But he be pen- itent for his old sinM li^ he may not beginne the newe clene lif ; for certes, if he be baptised without penitence of his old gilt, he receiveth the marke of baptisme^ but not the grace, ne the remission of his sinnes, til he hau veray repentance.' Another defaute is, that men don dedly sinne after that they hau received baptisme. The thridde defaute is, that men fall in venial sinnes after hir baptism^ fro day to day. * Thereof' sayth Seynt Augus- tine, * that penance of good and humble folk is the penance of every day.' " ^ Gower belonged to the same period, and thus writes: For all his hole hirte he laide Upon Constance; and saide he sholde, 1 Tyrwhitt's Ed., 1822, Vol. IV. p. 6. APPENDIX. 71 For love of hire, if that she wolde Baptisme take, and Christes faith Beleve.^ We have now reached the period when already that series of translations of the Holy Scriptures, which ulti- mately ripened into our present received version, had com- menced. FvJUynge^ as we have seen, is still used, but the tendency of the language is to its rapid and final displace- ment. Fragmentary translations, belonging to the first half of the fourteenth century, types and precursors of Wickliffe's, are preserved in the British Museum. Exam- ples of these are given in the Historical Account of English Versions, which accompanies Bagster's English Hexapla.' John L 19-28. — And this is the testimoninge of Ion whan the lues of ierulm sent prestes and dekencs vnto Ion baptist for to ask him what eitow. * * * Thes thinges ben done in bethaine beyond iordan ther Ion baptised, WicklifiTe, the date of whose version is 1380, used bap- ttze^ sometimes, however, substituting as its synonym, wash. Thus : Matt. iii. 5. — Thanne ierusalem wente out to hym, and all iudee, and all the cnntre aboute iordan; thei weren waischen of him in iordan, knowlechiden hir synnes. 11. I tvaisch you in water unto penaunce, but he that schal com after me, is stronger than I, whos schoon I am not worthi to here, he schal baptize you in the holi goost and fier. The period of what is termed "Middle English," is the period of transition from fvUynge to baptism. When we reach the later period of the Reformation, and the Tyn- dale, Cranmer, and Genevan versions, the present usage has become unalterably fixed. 1 Gower, Con. A, b. iii. »Y.^ 72 NOTES. What, then, was the act which was denoted to the Eng- lish people by these terms fvUynge and baptism? In other words, what was the mode of baptism practised by tlie English people from Anglo-Saxon times down to the period of the Reformation ? An article in the London Baptist Magazine for February 1850, prepared with man- ifest care, by a scholar oi^recognized reputation, answers very fully this question. EARLY MODE OF BAPTISM IN ENGLAND. BY THB REV. F. BOSWORTH, M. A. The venerable Bede describes Paulinas as baptizing in the Glen, Swale, and Trent That this must have been performed by immer- sion, is evident from the practice of the Romish Church at the time, and from the subsequent practice of the Anglo-Saxons. Gregory, the very Pope who sent Paulinus, thus speaks of the ordinance : " But we, since we immerse (mergimus) three times, point out the sacrament of the three days' burial." Bede, although in his works he seldom refers to the mode of bap- tism, gives sufficient evidence of the practice of his church at the time he lived. In his Commentary on John, he finds a striking resemblance between the account of the pool of Bethesda and the rite of baptism (Works, v. 581). So, also, when treating on John xiii. 1 — 11, he speaks of a man as being altogether washed in bap- tism (A\''orks, v. 710). Furthermore, he runs a parallel between baptism and Naaman's washing in Jordan (Works, viii. 888). Forty- six years after Bede's death, the following canon was passed by Pope Clement : " If any bishop or presbyter shall baptize by any other than trine immersion (immersionem), let him be deposed." Some few years afterwards, Pope Zacharias, speaking of baptism, refers to an English Synod, in which it was strongly conunanded that whoever should be immersed (mersus) without the invocation APPENDIX. 73 of the Trinity, should not be regarded as having enjoyed the sacra- ment of regeneration (Zach. Papa, in Syn. de Cone, dis. 4). The writings of Alcuin, bom at York, A. D. 735, and educated there by Bishop Egbert, abound in references to the mode of bap- tism. In his sixty-ninth epistle, he says : " Trine immersion (de- mersio) resembles the three days' burial." His Expositio de Bap- tisterio, Ep. 70, contains the following language : ** And so, in the name of the Holy Trinity he is baptized by trine immersion " (sub- mersione). In his work, De Divinis Officiis, he is still more explicit : " Then the priest baptizes him by trine immersion (mersione) only.** Indeed, in his epistle to Odwin he relates the whole process of immersion, and its attendant rites. At the commencement of the ninth century (A. D. 816), a canon was passed at the Synod of Celichyth, to the following effect: "Let also priests know that when they administer holy baptism they pour not holy water on the heads of infants, btU always imr merse them in the font.** With these notices, the Saxon writings themselves agree ; for though, in the laws of Alured and Ina, the Council between Alured and Godrum, and very many other Saxon documents, the word used for baptism refers rather to its supposed effects, than to the mode, yet, in two Anglo-Saxon manuscripts of the (xospels, the word dyppan (our English dip) is, according to Lye, used four times for baptism. Well does Lingard, in his work on the Anglo-Saxon Church, say : ** The regular manner of admin- istering it (baptism) was by immersion." During the Norman rule, the same method of observing the ordi- nance in question obtained. A Council, held in London A. D. 1200, passed the following regulation : '* If a boy is baptized by a layman, the rites preceding and following immersion (immendonem) must be performed by a priest'* A similar article was adopted in 1217, by the diocese of Sarum. In 1222, a Council at Oxford ordered that the rites following immersion (immersionem), not pre- ceding, should be performed by a priest The Provincial Consti- tutions of the Archbishop of Canterbury, passed 1236, contain the same reference to immersion as the mode of baptism. In the Con- stitutions of the Bishop of Wigom, 1240, we ^ud 'wt\\Xfcw\ '■'•'^^ order that in every church there be a baptismal foivV ^^ Y^"^^ 7 74 - NOTES. size and depUi (profunditatis), and that trine itnmcrsion (Immersio) be always practised/' So also, in the Constitutions of Archbishop Peckham, 1279, the same language is used. The Synodus Exoui- ensis, 1257, calls baptism submersio. Furthermore, in the Consti- tutions of Woodlake, Bishop of Winton, 1308, and in a provincial Scotch Council, held in the reign of Alexander II., precisely the same term (immersio) is employed. Lyndwood, who lived in the sixteenth century, in his Provincial Constitutions, ed. 1679, p. 242, composed by order of the Archbishop of Canterbury, explains a canon of Archbishop Edmund, in the reign of Henry III., as requiring baptisteries that would admit the dipping of the candidate (sic quod baptizandus possit in eo mergi). A drawing still exists in the Cotton MSS. of the British Museum, describing the baptism of the Earl of Warwick, in the reign of Richard II. (1381), in which the mode is evidently by immersion.^ Prince Arthur, eldest son of Henry VII., was thus baptized. An old manuscript descriptive of the ceremony says : " Incontinent afler the prince was put into the font" So, also, was Mayant, afterwards Queen of Scotland — "as soon as she was put into the font,'* says the account of an eye-witness. The Princess Elizabeth and Edward VI. were also immersed. Robinson's great work, the History, of Baptism, abounds in testimony establishing the conclusion of Professor Bos- worth. He refers to fonts, and to constitutions, canons, and other historical records, all going to show that from tlie earliest times to the period of the Reformation, that which our ancestors called "fullynge" and "baptism," was dipping^ — this being the hereditary practice, with excep- tions in the case of weak or sick children. He says : "In this country (England), ordinary baptism was always understood to mean immersion, till after the Ref- 1 This work is a pictorial history of the Earl of Warwick, fVom the cra- dle to the grave. It is executed in a very spirited manner, and is well worth seeing. It will be found marked 3\iM&, ¥.. 4. APPENDIX. To onnation, and though the private pouring on infants in clanger of death was called baptism, yet it was accounted so only by courtesy. Pope Stephen had said, ' If it were a case of necessity, and if it were performed in the name of the Trinity, pouring should be held valid.' " ^ " In brief, it may with great truth be affirmed, that dur- ing the whole establishment of the Catholic religion in England, that is, from the close of the sixth to the middle of the sixteenth century, a period of nearly a thousand years, baptism was administered by immeraion, except in cases of necessity ; the first converts were catechised in pei-son, and baptized in rivers ; the last were infants, cat- echized by proxy, and dipped in fonts." * " The introduction of sprinkling instead of dipping, in ordinary cases, into this island, seems to have been effected by such English, or, more strictly speaking, Scotch exiles, as were disciples of Calvin at Geneva, during the Marian persecution. In the fourth year of the reign of Queen Mary, the year fifteen hundred and fifty-six, they published at Geneva a book entitled: ^ The Form of Prayers and Ministration of the SacrameniSy etc^ used in the English Congregation at Geneva: approved^ by the famous and godly learned m^n^ John Calvyn, Imprinted at Geneva by John Crispin' In the order of baptism are the follow- ing words : * N. I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghoste. And as he speaketh these woords, he taketh water in his hand, and layeth it upon the childes forehead, which done he giveth thanckes as folio weth.' " * William Wall, author of the History of Infant Baptism, was a Church of England Clergyman of the period of Queen Anne. He was a man of admitted leaniing and ^ Quarto ed Loud. 1 700, p. 441 . a p . 445. a y , ^ife. 76 NOTES. of remarkable candor. lie would even go out of his way to correct an .error, though the en'or made for hi^ side. Thus, some had argued from a remark in Wickliffe's writ- ings, that that reformer held dipping and sprinkling in- different. Wall denies that that was Wickliffe's meaning. He only testified that the "church had ordained'' that in case of necessity any faithful person might baptize, and that tVi such case dipping or affusion availed equally to salvation. ** Such words do not suppose any other way than dipping used ordinarily/" says Wall. Even so late a writer as Sharon Turner,^ perverts this testimony of Wickliffe — probably following without examination some "writer less careful or less candid than Wall. What, then, on the point under review, is the testimony of Wall? ** England, which is one of the coldest (countries), was one of the latest that admitted this alteration of the ordi- nary way" (that is, from dipping to affusion)." He cites Erasmus, who, speaking of England in the time of Henry VIH., says of the baptism of infants, " in England they are dipped" (merguntur apud Anglos).* He further cites Erasmus, who, in his Colloquy, writing in England^ in the time of Henry VIH., says, " We dip children all over into cold water, in a stone font." * "In that king's reign (Henry VHI.) the general cus- tom was to dip infants. And it so continued for two reigns more " (Edward VI., and Mary). The Zurich Letters contain a paper, written by the English Bishop Horn, and addressed to Henry Bullinger, of Switzerland, which is conclusive as to the mode of bap- tism at the period to which it refers. The paper is enti- 1 MidSk Ages, Vol. V. p. 183. » lb, 3 Oxford Ed. 1844, Yo\. H. p. ^QRl. v^ .ga^. APPENDIX. 77 tied : " Tlie order of Administration of Common Prayer and tJie Sacraments in the Church of England in the time of Edward Vir "The Ministration of Baptism" is set forth in the fol- lowing terms : " If there are any infants to be baptized, they are brought on each Sunday, when the most people are come togetlier to the morning or evening prayers. The minister reads an exhortation to the people, in which he teaches them what is the condition of those who are not born again in Christ, and what the sacrament of regeneration signifies. He adds with the church a prayer for the infants, rehearses the gospel from the tenth chapter of Mark, upon which he makes a brief exhortation, followed by a general giving of thanks. The godfathers and godmothers then approach, and demand the sacrament in the name of the infants. The minister examines them concerning their faith, and afterwards dips the infard in the water ^ saying, ' I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' He then makes the sign of the cross upon the child's forehead ; after which the Lord's Prayer and a general thanksgiving is repeated by all. These infants are brought to the bishop to be confirmed, as soon as they are old enough to repeat and make answer to the catechism in their mother-tongue. "Then follows the ministration of baptism in private houses, by women, in time of necessity, which is only ministered by the woman baptizing the infant who is like to die, with calling upon the name of God, and baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." ^ * The Zurich Letters (Second Series) ^ Comprising the Correspondence of Severed English Bishops and others with sojne qf the ITelwtiau B«JwTwef%^ during ihe rei^n of Queen ElizpMh. Parker Socioty , \^i5, ^. ^vjfe. 7* 78 NOTES. No known Service Book of the English Church gave authority to substitute something else for dipping, down to the period of the Reformation. The Marmale ad Usum Sarum^ printed in 1530 (21 of Henry VIII.), directs dipping. Simpson, in his elegant work on Bap- tismal Fonts^ says: "Not one of the rituals which we have examined (he is alluding to those preceding the Prayer Book of Edward VI.) contains any pennission to use pouring or sprinkling when the child is brought to the church." * Dipping was the law and the custom, affusion being exceptional. 1 A Series of Ancient Baptismal Fonts, Chronologically Arranged, Drawn by F. Simpson, Jr., and Engraved by R. Roberts, London: Septinnw Prowett, 1828, fol. This superb volume, dedicated by permission to the Marchioness of Exeter, contains engravings of a large number of Fonts, commencing with the Norman era, and extending down to the period of the Reforma- tion. Connected with each engraving is a tail explanation, giving the period to which each Font belonged, with its materials, dimensions, etc. The dimensions are the important consideration in this connection, show- ing their capacity for immersion. For example, the Font in the Lincoln Cathedral, a Font belonging to the Norman era, is two feet eight inches in diameter, in the inside, and one foot one inch in depth. To the Nor- man succeeded the Early English Style, the style of the thirteenth cen- tury, and here we have the Font of All Saints, Leicester, two feet one inch in diameter, and one foot one inch in depth. The fourteenth century was the period of the Decorated Style, and belonging to this style is the Font of Nosely, Leicestershire, two feet in diameter, and one foot three inches deep. The last Font given in the work is that of St. Mary's, Beverly, Yorkshire, a very splendid one, bearing the date of 1530, in the Perpen- dicular Style of that period, three feet two inches in diameter, and one foot two inches in depth. The sizes of the whole series range IVora one foot seven inches in diameter and ten inches in depth, to that of St. Mary's, above named, which is the largest — the more usual size being a little over two feet in diameter, and a little over one foot in depth ; nil being, however, of sufficient capacity for the immersion of infants, and Intended for that purpose. ^ Pi-eface, p. xv. APPENDIX. 79 In the Prayer Books of Edward VI^ the exceptional aSusion was firat put in the rubric. In the first of these Prayer Books three dippings were commanded; in the second, cytie dipping. And in both it was then added : " And if the childe be weake, it shall suffice to pour water upon it." "This," says Simpson, "was the first instance of pouring being allowed in public baptism." Treating then of private baptism, the Prayer Book prescribes the ceremony of baptizing infants in danger of death, still again preferring dipping, but allowing pouring if necessity requires. And then, as the final process, if the child lives, this private baptism is to be subjected to a public scru- tiny. The priest is to inquire into the circumstances of the baptism, and if he is satisfied that the requisite forms were observed, then he is to ratify the baptism ; but if he is not satisfied, then he is commanded himself to baptize the child, and the command is to dip, with no option of pouring. Thus stood King Edward's Prayer Books. The excep- tional substitute, pouring, was now in the rubric. Two circumstances contributed to exalt this exceptional sub- stitute into an unintended general practice. "It being allowed," says Wall, "to weak children (though strong enough to be brought to church) to be baptized by affu- sion, many fond ladies and gentlewomen firat, and then by degrees the common people, would obtain the favor of the priest, to have their children pass for weak children, too tender to endure dipping in the water." ^ Another more marked occasion of the change was the influence of Cal- vin. In this opinion "Wall agrees with other writers. Calvin's influence with the exiles who resided in Geneva during the Marian persecutions, was immense. Ilis Ser- ^ Vol. II. p. 400. 80 NOTES. vice Book was the first in the world to appoint sprinkling to the exclusion of other modes. The exiles, more or less of them, returned to England, converts to sprinkling. The views thus imported, falling in with the wishes of parental fondness, began to spread, and, as "Wall testifies, the cus- tom, hitherto dipping, began to alter in Elizabeth's reign. " In all probability," says Simpson, " dipping was from this time (the time of the rubrical change) by degrees aban- doned ; but many years elapsed ere it was so ^entirely." " Dipping," says Wall, " must have been pretty ordinary during the former half of King James's reign." Mr. Blake, writing on this subject in 1645, says: "I have been an eye-witness of many infants dipped, and know it to have been the constant practice of many ministers in their places for many years together." ^ This reduction of the mode of baptism from dipping to affusion, did not take place without remonstrance. During all the process of reduction, there was a party in the church which steadily opposed the innovation. It was a part of the innovation to substitute the novel "basin" for the "font" of " immemorial usage," and to place the former near the chancel, whereas the font had always stood at the door of the church, to symbolize, by that cir- cumstance, the baptized child's admission into the Church of Christ. The basin was for affusion — the font for ira- meraion. On this point there is an instructive passage in Simpson's Fonts, He says : "From the time of the Reformation to the days of puritanic fury in the reign of Charles I., there was a strong propensity to remove or neglect the Font, and use a basin instead. This was checked so long as it was pos- sible; thus in 15C5 it was directed, 'That the fonte be not ^ P. 4o:i. APPENDIX. 81 removed, nor the curate do baptize in the parishe charclies in any basons, nor in any other forme than is alreadie prescribed.' In 1570 it was directed: *Curabunt ((Edi- tui) ut in singulis ccclesiis sit sacer fons, non pelvis, in quo baptismus ministretur, isque ut decenter et munde conservetur.' Again, the eighty-first canon of 1603 says: * According to a former constitution, too much neglected in many places, we appoint that there shall be a Font of stone in every church and chapel, where baptism is to be ministered, the same to be set in the ancient usuall places. In which onely Font the minister shall baptize publicly.' Among the inquiries directed to be made by the church- wardens, one is, whether the Font has been removed from its accustomed place, and whether they use a basin or other vessel." ^ Having occasion, in an editorial article in the New York Recorder of May 8, 1850, to refer to the former usage of the Church of England, in respect to the mode of bap- tism, I maintained the same positions with those here stated, and generally upon the same authorities. I re- ceived very soon afterwards, from a learned Episcopalian, of eminent standing in his church, a letter referring to the article, in which he says : ^It is able and true. Some little modifications and additions would, to my mind, have made it more perfect. The writer, unfortunately, had not the use of the words *oflSce' and * rubric,' but only * canon' and * liturgy.' The history of the * Rubrics' of the Baptismal * Offices' of all Christendom, eastern and western, would greatly strengthen his argument. He cannot too severely censure the influence of the returned Geneva Puritans in under- ming the doctrine and practice of the Church of England. i Preface, pp. xvi., xvii. 82 NOTES. He might have added (and I think from Wall), that not only was the 'Rubric' in the Genevan ' Office' for baptism the first in the world which directed (instead of permit- ting) sprinkling^ but that the church of Calvin was the first in the world which ever witnessed the use of the basin. He might also have gone further, and proved, that just dipping the tips of the fingers in water (in the excep- ted cases) instead of pouring it freely, had the same origin. " England (and "Wales especially), where the hold of the ancient British and Asiatic rite had never been much re- laxed, clung with much greater tenacity to the immei*sion of infants, than any other part of Christendom subject to Rome, except Bohemia, Moravia, etc., and Milan, where the great name of Ambrose in many things has success- fully resisted the encroachments of Rome, but in nothing more than this, that all infants are there still immersed in fonts, some of which are larger than the interesting speci- mens to which your writer refers, and are rather in the shape of baths than fonts. The Rev. Dr. once gave me a most interesting account of an inmiersion of some eight or ten infants, in this manner, and in such a baptis- mal font, in one of the principal churches of Milan, but not in the cathedral. "I suppose you know that there is not a well-read Episcopal minister in America that does not cheerfully admit all these facts. * * * The true issue between pro- foundly learned men is only between adult and infant immersion. '^ The simple fact is, tT[ial tTn^ C\xvxt^ o^ "Srci^X l&\v\fi\ft.VRk^w \w v\Y>., \ APPENDIX. 93 formally adopted by the Philadelphia Association, I am unable to determine. The common impression that this adoption occun-ed in 1742, is manifestly a mistake. The following extracts from the minu^ will indicate its earlier adoption, and the extent and character of its authority : 1724. "In the year 1724, a query, concerning the fourth commandment, whether changed, altered, or diminished. ** We refer to the Confession of Faith, set forth by the elders and brethren, met in London, 1689, and ovmed by %LS^ chap. 22, sects. 7 and 8." 1727. "In answer to a query from the Great Valley, viz. ; How far the liberty of marriage may be between a member and one that is not a member? Answered, by referring to our Confession of Faith, chapter 26th, in our last edition." ^ 1729. "Query from the church at Philadelphia: Sup- pose a gifted brother, who is esteemed an orderly minister by or among those that are against the laying on of hands in any respect, should happen to come among our churches; whether we may allow such a one to administer the ordi- nances of baptism and the Lord's Supper, or no ? "Answered in the negative; because it is contrary to the rule of God's word. See Acts xiii. 2, 3, xiv. 23, com- pared with Titus i. 5, 1 Tim. iv. 14, — from which pre- scribed rules we dare not swerve. We also refer to the Confession of Faith, chap. 27, sect. 9." woald suggest the inquiry, whether Keach's abridgment cannot be found in extensive use at the present time, in the older churches in New Eng- land, and more generally in the Southern States. 1 Of the original edition, the twenty-fifth chapter is the one which treats "Of Marriage," and the numbering was not changed till 1742. The Min- utes were revised in 1749, and " in our last edition " was doubtless added to explain the change in the reference from the twenty-fifth to the twenty- sixth chapter. 94 NOTES. 1742. "A motion was made in the Association for re- printing the Confession of Faith, set forth by the elders of baptized Congregatiops, met in London, A. D. 1689, with a short treatise of^fthurch Discipline to be annexed to the Confession of Fa^th. Agreed that the thing was needful, and likely to be very usefiil ; and in order to carry it on, it is ordered to send it to the several churches be- longing to this Association, to make a trial of what sums of money can be raised, and to send an account to Mr. Jenkin Jones, to the intent, that when the several collec- tions are completed, if it be found sufficient to defray the charges of the work, that then it shall go on ; if not, then to drop it for this year ; and if it be carried on, that then an addition of two articles be therein inserted ; that is to say. Concerning Singing of Psalms in the Worship of God, and Laying on of Hands upon Baptized Believers. Ordered, also, that the said Mr. Jones and Benj. Griffith do prepare a short Treatise of Discipline, to be annexed to the said Confession of Faith." 1743. "Tuesday, the house met according to appoint- ment, at eight o'clock A. M., to consider further the affair begun yesterday, touching the differences at Montgomery. After some time spent in debate thereon, brother Joseph Eaton stood up, and freely, to our apprehension, recanted, renounced and condemned all expressions which he here- tofore had used, whereby his brethren at Montgomery, or any persons elsewhere, were made to believe that he de- parted from the literal sense and meaning of that funda- mental article in our Confession of Faith, concerning the eternal generation and Sonship of Jesus Christ our Lord ; he acknowledged with grief his misconduct therein, whether by word or deed. We desire that all our churches would take notice thereof, and liave a tender regard for him in APPENDIX. 95 his weak and aged years, and in particular, of that great truth upon which the Christian religion depends ; without which it must not only totter, hut f-ill to the ground; which he confesses he was sometimes doubtful of. Our brother Butler gave his acknowledgment, written in his own hand, in the following words: *I freely confess that I have given too much cause for others to judge that I contradicted our Confession of Faith, concerning the eternal generation of the Son of God, in some expressions contained in my paper, which I now with freedom con- demn, and am sorry for my so doing, and for every other misconduct that I have been guilty o^ from first to last, touching the said article or any other matter.' ** We had a copy of Discipline designed to be annexed to our Confession of Faith, by an order of a former Asso- ciation, read and considered at this meeting, and approved by the whole house." 1752. In answer to a query from the church in King- wood, the Association having referred to our ruin in Adam and our recovery in Christ, by the Sovereign elec- tion and grace of God, adds : ** Upon which fundamental doctrines of Christianity, next to the belief of an etenial God, our faith must rest ; and we adopt, and would that all the churches belonging to the Baptist Association, be well grounded in accordance to our Confession of Faith, and Catechism, and cannot allow that any are true mem- bers of our churches who deny the said principles, be their conversation outward what it will." 1761. The Association, writing to the Board of Partic- ular Baptist Ministers, London, say: "Our numbers in these parts multiply; for when we had the pleasure of writing to you in 1734, there were but nine churches in 96 NOTES. our Association, yet now there are twenty-eight, all own- ing the Confession of Faith put forth in London in 1689." It is not necessary to multiply these citations. The cordial reception, and the authoritative character of the creed-statements embraced in the Confession, are beyond question. From a period a little later than this to the end of the century, nearly every year a chapter of the Confession was made the subject of a Pastoral Address to the churches. This venerable formulary never indeed usurped the place of the Word of God; but distinctly, cordially, and always, it was a declaration to the world of the doctrines which the Association regarded as taught in the Bible. By reference to the extract from the Minutes of 1742, above given, it will be seen that the action of the Associa- tion was not an adoption of the Confession, but only a ^^reprinting^^ and that that which made it from that pe- riod specially a Philadelphia Confession, was the insertion of two new articles, and provision for the elaborate treatise on Discipline, the work of the Rev. Benjamin Griffith,^ which was formally adopted in 1743. The new articles inserted were written, many years before, by the Rev. Abel Morgan, a native of Wales, bom in 1637, who had been a minister of the gospel in his own country, and who had traAslated the whole Confession into the Welsh language. I have not the materials at hand for tracing, so partic- ularly as I could desire, the course of doctrinal history in the churches of other sections which sprung more or less directly from the Philadelphia Association. The New York Association, formed in 1791, was distinctly an off- 1 Mr. Griffith acknowledffes the aid derived firom the writings of the Rev. Eliaa Keach, the Rev. A-beVMoxg^n, M\^\iT^. Qi^ck^-mw, and Owen. APPENDIX. 97 shoot from the Philadelphia, and the inheritor of its doc- trines ; and the Hudson River Association, next in descent, was accustomed to publish annually, on its title-page, a summary of its faith, in harmony with the venerable formulary of 1689. In Virginia the Baptists had a double origin, — partly from zealous Separates from New England, who bore with them to the South the spirit of the Great Awakening, and partly from sources in connection with the Philadelphia Association. They were accordingly known as Separate Baptists, and Regular Baptists, each having a distinct organization. The Regular Baptists seem to have been the more intelligent and better organized, — the Separates the more zealous, perhaps, and more efficient. Attempts at union between these bodies were for some time unsuc- cessful, the chief obstacle being the rigid adherence of the Regulars to the Philadelphia Confession. Some partic- ulars of the history of their attempts at union are found in Semple's History of the Virginia Baptists (1810), and in the original edition (1813) of Benedict's History of the Baptists, — the latter following chiefly the accounts given in the former. The General Association of the Separate Baptists had become so large in 1783, that it was deemed advisable to dissolve it, and form distinct Associations, with a General Committee to be composed of delegates from the several district Associations, this committee to meet annually "to consider matters that may be for the good of the whole society." This action having been taken, the doc- trinal unity of these brethren was guarded as follows : " A motion was made by John "W^illiams : That as they were now about to divide into sections, they ought to 9 98 NOTES. adopt some Confession of Faith, by way of affording a standard of principles to subsequent times. " They then agreed to adopt the Philadelphia Confes- sion of Faith, upon the following explanations : " ' To prevent its usurping a tyrannical power over the consciences of any : we do not mean that every person is to be bound to the strict observance of everything therein contained, nor do we mean to make it in any re- spect superior or equal to the Scriptures, in matters of faith and practice ; although we thin^ it the best human composition of the kind now extant, yet it shall be liable to alterations, whenever the General Committee, in behalf of the Associations, shall think fit.' " ^ What may have been the effect upon the Regulars, of this action of the Separate brethren, which seems to have been spontaneous among themselves and in view of their own purposes, I have not the means of knowing. It is certain, however, that the union of the two bodies soon followed. In 1786 the Ketocton, or Regular Baptist Asso- ciation, which had adopted the Philadelphia Confession at its origin,^ sent delegates to the General Committee, who were received on equal terms by that body. This event gave rse to the following recommendation : "It is recommended to the different Associations to appoint delegates to attend the next General Committee, for the purpose of forming a union with the Regular Baptists." 5 In August 1787 the General Committee met again, del- egates being present from the Regular, and from all the Separate Associations. The following is Dr. Semple's account of the proceedings : 1 Semple, p. 68. « Benedict, ed. 1813, Vol. H. p. 35. APPENDIX. 99 ** Agreeably to appointment, the subject of the union of Regular and Separate Baptists was taken up, and a happy and effectual reconciliation was accomplished. "The objections on the part of the Separates related chiefly to matters of trivial importance, and had been for some time removed, as to being a bar to communion. On the other hand, the Regulars complained that the Sepa-, rates were not sufficiently explicit in their principles, hav- ing never published or sanctioned any Confession of Faith, and that they kept within their communion many who were professed Anninians, etc. To these things it was answered by the Separates, that a large majority of them believed as much in their Confession of Faith as they did themselves, although they did not entirely approve of the practice of religious societies binding themselves too strictly by Confessions of Faith, seeing there was danger of their finally usurping too high a place; that if there were some among them who leaned too much towards the Arminian system, they were generally men of exemplary piety and great usefulness in the Redeemer's kingdom, and they conceived it better to bear with some diversity of opinion in doctrines, than to break with men whose Christian deportment rendered them amiable in the esti- mation of all true lovers of genuine godliness. . ndeed, that some of them had now become fathers in the gospel, who, previous to the bias which their minds had received, had borne the brunt and heat of persecution, whose labors aad sufferings God had blessed, and still blessed, to the great advancement of his cause. To exclude such as these from the communion, would be like tearing the limbs from the body. " These and such like arguments were agitated both in 281418 100 NOTES. public and private, so that all minds were much mollified before the final and successful attempt for union. " The terms of the union were entered on the Minutes in the following words, viz : "'The committee appointed to consider the terms of union if^-ith our Regular brethren, reported, That they conceive the manner in which the Regular Baptist Con- fession has been received by a former Association, is the ground-work for such union.' " ^ The manner in which the Separates had adopted the Philadelphia Confession, at their last (General Association, in 1783, has already been stated on a previous page of this note,^ and should be referred to in this connection, in order to a full understanding of the present action. Dr. Scrapie's narrative proceeds : " After considerable debate as to the propriety of hav- ing any Confession of Faith at all, the report of the com- mittee was received, with the following explanation : "'To prevent the Confession of Faith from usurping a tyrannical power over the conscience of any, we do not mean that every person is bound to the strict observance of everything therein contained ; yet that it holds forth the essential truths of the gospel, and that the doctrine of salvation by Christ, and free, unmerited grace alone, ought to be believed by every Christian, and maintained by every minister of the gospel. Upon these terms we are united, and desire hereafter that the names Regular and Separate be buried in oblivion ; and that from hence- forth we shall be known by the name of the United Bap- tist Churches of Christ in Virginia.' " * This union was satisfactory to the Philadelphia Asso- 1 Scmplc, pp. 74, 75. « See ante, p. 98 « Semple, p. 75. APPENDIX. 101 ciation, which expressed its pleasure by vote, and entered the "plan of union" upon its records,^ The doctrinal agreement of the Regulars and Separates was always nearer than the use of the word " Arminian " in the dis- cussions would seem to imply. Those of the Separates who were regarded as " tending to Arminianism," would probably have accepted cordially the doctrinal theology of Andrew Fuller, as distinguished from that of Dr. Gill.* The Charleston Association — the oldest of Baptist Asso- ciations in the United States, excepting the Philadelphia — was formed in 1751. Its oldest church, the venerable fii-st church in Charleston, was organized about 1683. The Rev. William Screven, the first pastor, in " An Ornament for Church Members," printed after his death, said : "And now for a close of all (my dear brethren and sisters, whom God hath made me, poor unworthy me, an instrument of gathering and settling in the faith and order of the gos- pel), my request is, that you, as speedily as possible, sup- ply yourselves with an able and faithful minister. Be sure you take care that the person be orthodox in faith, and of blameless life, and does own the Confession of Faith put forth by our brethren in London in 1689."' Mr. Screven died in 1713. "In 1767 the Association, having previously called the serious attention of the churches to the subject, formally adopted the Confession of Faith published by the Lon- don Assembly of 1689. This had been previously held by the churches in their individual capacities, particularly 1 Minutes, 1787, pp. 227, 233. * See accounts of a discussion of the question, "Is salvation by Christ made possible for every individual of the human race?" given in Semple, p. CO, and in Benedict, Vol. II. pp. 56, 57. 8 Benedict's Bisi., VqL II. p. ^23. 9* 102 NOTES. that of Charleston, from the beginning of the eighteenth century. The church at Ashley River adopted it March 18, 1737. Messrs. Hart and Pelot were appointed to draw- tip a system of Discipline agreeable to Scripture, to be used by the churches. This they brought forward in 1772, and Rev. Morgan Edwards and Mr. David Williams were requested to assist the compilers in revising it. In 1773 it was examined by the Association, and adopted. That and the Confession of Faith were printed under the inspection of Mr. Hart." * The doctrinal differences of the Regulars and Separates of the Atlantic States reproduced themselves in the mi- grations to the Mississippi Valley. The Regulars carried with them and renewed the Confession, while the Sepa- rates hesitated, as their brethren had done in Virginia, or refused altogether. The Holston Association, first in Tennessee, organized in 1786, adopted the Philadelphia Confession. The Tennessee, formed from the Holston in 1802, did not adopt the Confession, but professed to hold its substance and spirit, with some modifications of some of the articles which it contains. In West Tennessee, the Associations adopted an ''Abstract of Principles,'' in the form of creed-statements, very brief indeed, but, by the use of general expressions, furnishing a basis of harmony for those who construe orthodoxy with Gill, and for those who construe orthodoxy with Fuller. The Elkham Asso- ciation, in Kentucky, formed in 1785, adopted the Phila- delphia Confession, while the South Kentucky, or Separate Association, formed in the same year, had no Confession. Attempts to unite the Regulars and the Separates of these 1 Benedict's Hht., p. 136. See also pp. 143 and 149, where are accounts of measures for reprinting the Confession, etc., in 1703 and 1810. I have no later authorities. APPENDIX. 103 Associations, as their brethren of the Atlantic States had become united, were made without success. *'The Separates were afraid of being bound and hampered by Articles and Confessions, and the Regulars were unwilling to unite with them, without something of the kind." In 1801 the union was effected by mutual concessions, the fruit, it is said, of brotherly kindness and charity induced by the Great Revival of that period, and of the discovery that their doctrinal differences were less than they had supposed. The basis of union was a brief series of creed- statements, imperfect, certainly, in form, but undoubtedly intended to set forth the substance of orthodoxy. This union effected, the appellation " Separate Baptists," which had distinguished a portion of the Baptist family for half a century, passed finally away.^ It is manifest, from the testimony adduced in this note, that the Baptist denomination, with very rare exceptional instances, has been from the first accustomed to the utter- ance of its doctrinal convictions in the form of Confessions or Articles of Faith, and that these have exerted a power- ful reflex influence. Even the Separates of Virginiji, by their own spontaneous act, adopted conditionally the Phil- adelphia Confession, and their successors in the Missis- sippi Valley, when uniting with the Regulars, did not hesitate to set forth creed-statements of briefer form. I -am not particularly informed in regard to later usages of the Baptists of the South and South West. My lim- ited information coincides with what might be supposed the natural results of the causes here narrated. I think 1 See Benedict's History of the Baptists, ed. 1813, Vol. H. pp. 210, 217, 225, 237, 238, 230, 243. See also an interesting and valuable article on the Baptists of the Mississippi Valley, written by the late l«iv. Jolvw ]^l. ^vivi^, D. D., and published in tlie Christian Heview of October ISo'i. 104 NOTES. the Philadelphia Confession entire, Mr. Reach's, and per- haps other abridgments of it, preserving its language and spirit, and briefer creed-statements, like those already re- ferred to, will be found variously intermixed. Of these last I have a recent illustration, in the "Abstract of Prin- ciples " ^ set forth by the Carey Baptist Association, Ala- bama, at its formation in 1855, which preserves almost the exact words of the " Abstract of Principles " set forth by the Associations of West Tennessee at an early period in their history.* Few things are more tenacious of life than creed-statements in religion. In Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and the states lying northwest of them, we may, in like manner, look for institutions and habits kindred to those of the eastern sections from which the first Baptist settlers proceeded, — sometimes modified by later and influential intermixtures from other sections. Where the eastern Baptist element was from Virginia, ordination will be by a Presbytery ; where it was from New England, it will be by a Council. In reference to Con- fessions, the same rule will undoubtedly prevail. The East reproduces itself in the West. Whoever will accu- mulate facts bearing upon this point, will make a most important contribution to our doctrinal history. This sketch would be imperfect without a reference to the Declaration of Faith, known at the present time as the New Hampshire Confession, which was issued a quar- ter of a century since by the Baptist Convention of that state. The work of the Rev. John Newton Brown, D. D., 1 For which I am indebted to the politeness of the Hon. Jabez L. M. Curry, Member of Congress from Alabama. 2 The same is true of the " Articles of Faith " of the Coosa River Asso- ciation, for the Minutes of which I am indebted likewise to the Hon. Mr. Carry. APPENDIX. 105 it was written by him when a pastor in New Ilampshire, with a view to pending controversies with the Free Will Baptists, who there are numerous. It^as been sometimes criticized as aiming at the difficult task of preserving the stem orthodoxy of the fathers of the denomination, while at the same time it softens the terms in which that ortho- doxy is expressed, in order to remove the objections of neighboring opponents.^ Published in the Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, of which its author was editor, it has been circulated in many editions of that work, — published too by booksellers, in small pamphlet form, con- venient for distribution in churches, it has been still more widely diffused, — and in churches of late origin it has been extensively adopted in the Northern and Westeni States. In Appendix II. will be found at length the Confessions to which reference has been made in this work. The Confession of 1643 is reprinted from the Appendix to the Second Volume of Choules' edition of Neal's History of the Puritans, corrected, however, by collation with the Hanserd Knollys Society's copy in their volume of Con- fessions. The Confession of 1689, corrected in the same manner, is reprinted from the Pittsburg edition of 1831, in the form known in this country as the Philadelphia Confession, except that ^the two articles added by that body, on Laying on of Hands and on Singing, are inserted separately at the end. The Confession has been compared with the London (fifth) edition of 1720, for a copy of which I am indebted to the Rev. Wm. R. Williams, D. D., LL. D., of New York. The New Hampshire Declaration of Faith is reprinted from the edition of the American 1 See Christian Rein'euJ for April 1859. 106 NOTES. Baptist Publication Society, revised by the author himselfj and including two new articles, one on Repentance and Faith, and the other on Sanctlfication. The Confessions here given are not to be understood as all which have been issued by churches, or other bodies, connected with the Baptist denomination. There were other Confessions issued in England^ in the period be- tween 1643 and 1689; and in this country Confessions have been published by Associations, churches and indi- viduals in the denomination, variously modified, indeed, but preserving a substantial unity. Those which are here given, have had a historical character as acknowledged fonnularies. The laxity in respect to the ministerial office, indicated in the Confession of 1643, it will be observed, disappears in the Confession of 1689. On the question of laying on of hands, there has never been unanimous cou- sent in the denomination, and the article on that subject in the Philadelphia Confession would be accepted now by a very limited number of our people. 1 Some of these Confessions may be found in a volume issued by the Hanserd Knollys Society, under the title, "Confessions of Faith, and other Public Documents, illustrative of the History of the Baptist Churches of England in the seventeenth century. Edited by Edward Bean Under- bill." London, 1854. "BAPTISTS." Thb name " Baptists " is both a protest against the mis- nomer "Anabaptists," and a euphemism for "Baptized." It was very natural that those who believed in the validity of infant baptism, should regard as " anabaptists " those who renounced that baptism, and were baptized again on personal profession of their faith. It was equally natural, too, that these last should repel the epithet as in nowise significant of their belief and practice. As matter of fact, we find the epithet so applied and so repelled. This was true on the Continent, and true in Great Britain. "On account of your baptism of infants," said the martyr Jan Grerrits, " you cause us to be called Anabaptists, though we baptize once, not twice, nor allow baptism more than once, and that according to the truth, and agreeably to the com- mand and practice of the apostles." ^ " It is commanded, and will be found throughout the New Testament," said another martyr, Hans Schlaffer, answering under torture, " that men should first teach the Word of God, and they alone that hear, understand, believe and receive it, should be baptized. This is the true Christian baptism, and no rebaptism." * " Commonly, but most falsely, called Ana- 1 Baptist Martyrobgy, Vol. II. p. 386. « lb., YoVl. ^/d^. 108 NOTES. baptists," * say our English progenitors, in their Persecu- tion for Religion Judged and Condemned, published in 1G15. "Unjustly called Ana-baptists,"* say they in their address to the king, 1 620. Whatever their baptism might be to others, to them it was no ana-baptism. They did not rehaptize^ they simply baptized; they were not Andbap- tistSy but only baptists. Distinguished by the restoration of the rite to its primitive form and significance, they very naturally took the name of the rite as their true and law- ful designation. They called themselves first ^the Bap- tized^'' and then ^tJie Baptists,^ In 1654 "the Baptized churches in this nation" (England) issued their Humble Representation and Vindication.' "By John Sturgion, one of the Baptized People^ * was the form of authorship on the title-page of Sturgion's Plea for Toleration, 1661. " Of the persuasion commonly called the baptized^'* ^ says the royal license to the Rev. Mr. Hardcastle, the Broad- mead pastor, 1671-2. " Brother Gifford, pastor of the other baptized congregation^^ say the Broadmead Rec- ords, of the sister church in Bristol, and its minister. In this country, the title ^Baptized congregations^^ or ^^Baptjized churchea^^ was preserved in the Minutes of the Philadelphia Association,* long after the name ^^Baptists " had come into common use. Indeed, that title is preserved occasionally, though very rarely, in the present generation, by persons who desire to be specially precise. The title 1 Tracts on Liberty of Conscience, Hans. KnoUys Society's ed., p. 101. 2 76., 231. j 3 Confessions of Faith^ etc., p. 327. < Tracts on Lib. of Conscience, p. 311. * Records, p. 217. 6 The Philadelphia Association has been called, though I cannot say how frequently, or how generally, the Association of " Baptized Congregational Churches." I remember the fact distinctly, but am unable to recall the reference. APPENDIX. 109 ^^JBaptists^^ so far as I can judge, is of uncertain date. I find it first in the Broadmead Records. "At that juncture of time (1640) the providence of God brought to this city one Mr. Canne, a baptized man; it was that Mr. Canne that made notes and references upon the Bible." * * * ♦ " a baptized man by them called an Anabaptist, which was to some a sufficient cause of prejudice ; because the truth of believers' baptism had been for a long time buried ; yea, for a long time by popish inventions, and their sprinkling brought in the room thereof." "This godly, honorable woman, perceiving that Mr. Canne was a baptist^ i ♦ ♦ ♦ Here we have the protest against Anabaptist^ the descrip- tive title Baptized^ and the euphemism Baptist^ all within narrow space. Mr. Terrill, who made these records, be- came a member of the Broadmead Church in 1658. The exact date of the use of these words by him cannot, per^ haps, be determined. " Once a member amongst the Bap- tists^ appears on the title of a book or pamphlet published in 1655,* which is my earliest trace of the name. It is here, however, without any appearance of novelty. From a pamphlet entitled "Behold a Cry," etc., published in 1662, Crosby* quotes these words: "On the third day of the month called August, 1662, when the prisoners in Newgate, called Baptists^ were in their chamber, seeking the Lord." * ♦ ♦ The name occurs likewise in the titles of works published by Rev. Daniel Dyke, in 1674 and 1675.* The Rev. Andrew Gifford's license from Charles R., in 1672, says: "of the persuasion commonly called BaptistsP^ Mr. Henry Morris, writing in 1675, used the title Baptist frequently, in speaking of the churches in 1 Rtcords, pp. 18, 19, 21. * lb., Vol. I. p. 359. 2 76., p. 55. * ^., Vol. III. p. 154. * Btstary of the BnptUts, Yo\. II. p. 178. 10 110 NOTES. Wules.^ In 1696 and 1701, "ministers of the Baptist denomination" sent congratulatory addresses to William III.* William Wall, writing a little later, says : " As they disown the name of Anabaptists^ or Rehaptizers^ so I have nowhere given it to them ; as, on the contrary, I do not give them the name of Baptists^ nor of the JBaptized peo- ple : for that is to cast a reproach upon their adversaries, as concluding that they are not so."* He calls them anti- pcedo-baptists. The common use of the word in this coun- try must have followed close upon the common use of it in England. "Our Anabaptists," says Cotton Mather, "when somewhat of exasperation was begun, formed a church at Boston on May 28, 1665, besides one which they had before at Swanzey. Now they declared our infant baptism to be a mere nullity, and they arrogate unto them- selves the title of JBaptistSy as if none were baptized but themselves." * The earliest use of this title in the Phil- adelphia Minutes appears under the date 1712. ^''Baptized congregations^^ ^Baptized churches^ are then the usual forms; but in 1749, when the Rev. Benjamin Griffith, by direction of the Association, prepared his Association Book, he describes it as " containing a brief account of the begin- ning and progress of the churches holding and practising adult baptism, and commonly called BAPTISTS." 1 Broadmead Records, p. 511. 2 Qaoted in Crosby. 8 I quote fVom Crosby without having Wall at hand. 4 Eccles. Hist,, Book VII. APPENDIX II. CONFESSIONS. I. THE CONFESSION OF THE SE7EN CHURCHES, 1643. II. THE CONFESSION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF 1689. CALLED IN AMERICA THE PHILADELPHIA CONFESSION. III. THE NEW HAMPSHIUE DECLARATION OF FAITH. IV. DISCIPLINE ADOPTED BY THE PHILADELPHIA ASSOCIATION. I. A CONFESSION OP FAITH Of Seven Congregations or Churches of Christ in London ^ tchich are commonhjy hut unjustly, called Anabaptists; published for the Vindi- cation of the Truth and Information of the Ignorant : likewute for the taking off of those Aspersions which are frequently^ both in Pulpit and Print, unjustly cast upon them. Printed at London^ Anno 1646. (Second edition,) I. The Lord our Grod is but one God, whos^subsistence is in him- self; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto ; who is in himself most holy, every way infinite, in ^ greatness, wisdom, power, love; merciful and gracious, long-suffer- ing, and abundant in goodness and truth : who giveth being, moving, and preservation to all creatures.^ II. In this divine and infinite Being there is the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit ; each having the whole Divine essence, yet the essence undivided ; all infinite without any beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distin- guished by several peculiar relative properties.* m. God hath decreed in himself, before the world was, concern- ing all things, whether necessary, accidental, or voluntary, with all the circumstances of them, to work, dispose, and bring about all things according to the counsel of his own will, to his glory (yet without being the author of sin, or having fellowship with any there- 1 1 Cor. viii. 6; Isa. xliv. 6, and xlvi. odas xxxiv. 6, 7; Acts xrii. 28; Bom. 9; Exodus iii 14; 1 Tim vi 16; Isaiah xi. 86. xiiU. 15; Psalm exivii 6; Deut. xxxii. S 1 Cor. i. 8; John i. 1, and xv. 26; 3; Job xxxvi. 5; Jeremiah x. 12; Ex- Exod. iii. 14; 1 Cor. viii. 6. 10* 114 CONFESSIONS. in) : in which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, unchange- ableness, power, and faithfulness in accomplishing his decree ; and God hath, before the foundation of the world, foreordained some men to eternal life, through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of his grace : leaving the rest in their sin, to their just condemnation, to the praise of his justice.^ IV. In the beginning Grod made all things very good: created man after his own image, filled with all meet perfection of nature, and free from all sin ; but long he abode not in this honor, Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to seduce first Eve, then by her seducing Adam, who, without any compulsion, in eating the forbid- den fruit, transgressed the command of God, and fell, whereby death came upon all his posterity : who now are conceived in sin, and by nature the children of wrath, the servants of sin, the subjects of death, and other miseries in this world and forever, unless the Lord Jesus Christ set them/ree.* Y. God, in his infinite power and wisdom, doth dispose all things to the end for which they were created ; that neither good nor evil befalls any by chance, or without his providence ; and that whatso- ever befalls the elect is by his appointment, for his glory, and their good.^ VI. All the elect, being loved of God with an everlasting love, are redeemed, quickened, and saved, not by themselves, nor their own works, lest any man should boast, but only and wholly by God, of his free grace and mercy, through Jesus Christ, who is made unto us by God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption and all in all, that he that rejoiceth might rejoice in the Lord.* VII. And this is life eternal, that we might know him the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent And on the con- lIsa.xlvi.lO;Eph.i.ll;Rom.xi.83; 29; 2Cor.xi.8; 1 Tim. ii. 14; Gal. iU. Psalm xxviii. 15, cxv. 8, cxxxv. 6, and 22 ; Bom. v. 12, vi. 22, and xvill. 19 ; Eph. cxliv. ; 1 Sam. x. 9, 26 ; Prov. xvi 4, 88, ii. 8. and xxi. 6; Exod. xxi. 18; Isa. xlv. 7; 8 Job xxxviil. 11; Isa. xlvi. W, 11; Matt xvi. 28, 80; Col. i. 16, 17; Numb. Ecd. iii. 14; Matt. x. 29, 30; Exod. xxi. xxiii. 19, 20; Rom. iii. 4; Jer. x. 10, 13; Prov. xvi. 83; Rom. viii. 28. xiv. 22; Eph. 1. 4, 5 ; Jude 4, 6. * Jer. xxiii. 6, and xxxi. 8; Eph. i 8, 2 Gen. i. 1, and iii. 1, 4, 6; Col. i. 16; 7, and ii 4,9; 1 These, v. 9; Actsxiii aS; Isa. xlv. 12; 1 Cor. xv. 46,46-, Eccl.vU. ^CoT.N,^\Jet.\x.28,24;lCor.i.30,31. APPENDIX. lir> trary, the Lord will render vengeance, in flaming fire, to them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ^ Vm. The rule of this knowledge, faith, and obedience concern- ing the worship of God, in which is contained the whole duty of man, is (not men's laws or unwritten traditions, but) only the Word of Grod contained in the Holy Scriptures: in which is plainly re- corded whatsoever is needful for us to know, believe, and practise ; which are the only rule of holiness and obedience for all saints, at all times, in all places, to be observed.' IX. The Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Moses and the prophets wrote, the apostles preached, he is the- Son of God, the brightness of his glory, etc., by whom he made the world ; who upholdeth and govemeth all things that he hath made ; who also, when the fulness of time was come, was made of a woman, of the tribe of Judah, of tiie seed of Abraham and David ; to wit, of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her, the power of the Most High overshadowing her ; and he was also tempted as we are, yet without sin.' X. Jesus Christ is made the mediator of the new and everlasting covenant of grace between God and man, ever to be perfectly and ^ fully the prophet, priest, and king of the Church of God for ever- more.* XL Unto this office he was appointed by God from everlasting ; and in respect of his manhood, from the womb called, separated, and anointed most fully and abundantly with all gifb necessary, God having without measure poured out his Spirit upon him.^ XU. Concerning his mediatorship, the Scripture holds forth Christ's call to his office ; for none takes this honor upon him but ho that is called of God, as was Aaron, it being an action of God, whereby a special promise being made, he ordains his son to this 1 John vi. 36 ; and xvii. 8 ; Heb. v. 9 ; iv. 15, and vii. 14 ; Gal. iv. 4 ; Rev; v. 5 ; 1 Thess. i. 8. Rom. i. 3, and ix. 10; Matt. i. 16; Luke 2 Col. ii. 23; Mat. xv. 9, 6; John v. iii 23, 26; lea. liii. 8-6. 39; 2 Tim. iii 15—17; Isa. viii. 20; Gal. * 1 Tim. ii. 5; Heb. ix. 15; John xiv. i. 8, 9; Acts iii. 22, 23. 6; Isa. ix. 6, 7. 8 Gen. iii. 15; xxii. 18, and xlix. 9, 5 Trov. viil. 23; Isa. xi. 2—5, xli. 6, 10; Dan. vii. 13, and ix. 24-26; Prov. xlix. 15, and Ixi. 1, 2; Luke iv. 17, 22; viii. 28; John J. 1-8; Heb. i. 8, ii. 16, John i. 14,16, «xidA^.^. 116 CONFESSIONS. office ; which promise is, that Christ should be made a sacrifice fisr sin ; that he should see his seed, and prolong his days, and the pleas- ure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand ; all of mere free and ab- solute grace towards God's elect, and without any condition foreseen in them to procure it^ XIIL This office to be mediator, that is, to be prophet, priest, and king of the Church of God, is so proper to Christ, that neither in whole, nor any part thereof, can it be transferred from him to any other.2 XIV. This office to which Christ is called is threefold — as a prophet, priest, and king : this number and order of offices is neces- sary, for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of his prophetical office ; and in respect of our great alienation from God, we need his priestly office to reconcile us ; and in respect of our averseness and utter inability to return to God, we need his kingly office, to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom.^ XV. Concerning the prophecy of Christ, it is that whereby he hath revealed the will of God, whatsoever is needful for his servants to know and obey ; and therefore he is called not only a prophet and doctor, and the apostle of our profession, and the angel of the covenant, but also the very wisdom of God, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, who forever continueth reveal- ing the same truth of the gospel to his people.* XVI. That he might be a prophet every way complete, it was necessary he should be God, and also that he should be man : for unless he had been God, he could never have perfectly understood the will of God ; and unless he had been man, he could not suit- ably have unfolded it in his own person to men.^ That Jesus Christ is God, is wonderful clearly expressed in the 1 Heb. V. 4—6; Isa. liii. 10, 11; John Psalm ex. 3; Cant. i. 8; John vi. 44; iii. 16; Rom viii. 32 Phil. iv. 13; 2 Tim. iv. 18. 2 1 Tim. 11. 6; Heb. vil. 14; Daniel 4 John i 18, xii. 49, 50, and xv., and vii. 14; Acts Iv. 12; Luke i. 33; John xvil 8; Matt, xxiii. 10 ; Deut.xviii. 15; xiv. 6. Heb. iii. 1; 1 Cor. i. 24; Col. ii. 3; Mai. 8 Dcut. viii. 16; Acts iii. 22, 28, xxvi. iii. 1. IS; Heb. iii. 8, and iv. 14, 15; Psalm ii. 5 John i. 18; Acts iii. 22; Deut.xviii. 6; 2 Cor. k. 20; Col. i. 21; Jolm xvi.8-, U\ ¥Lft\).i.l. APPENDIX. 117 Scriptures. He is called the mighty Gocl.* The "Word was God.' Chnst, who is Grod over all.* God manifested in the flesh.* The same is very God.* He is the first .^ lie gives being to all things, and without him was nothing made.^ He forgiveth sins.^ He is before Abraham.* He was, and is, and ever will be the same.*® He is always with his to the end of the world.*^ Which could not be said of Jesus Christ* if he were not God. And to the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever." Also, Christ is not only perfectly Grod, but perfect man, made of a woman.^ Made of the seed of David." Comino; out of the loins of David.^* Of Jesse and Judah.** In that the children were par- takers of flesh and blood, he himself likewise took part with them.^^ He took not on him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abra- ham.^* So that we are bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh.** So that he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one.'-^ XVIL Concerning his priesthood, Christ, having sanctified him- self, hath appeared once to put away sin by that one oflering of him- self a sacrifice for sin, by which he hath fully finished and suflercd all things Grod required for the salvation of his elect, and removed all rites and shadows, etc., and is now entered within the veil into the holy of holies, which is the presence of God. Also, he makes his people a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through him. Neither doth the Father accept, or Christ offer to the Father, any other worship or worship- pers.2i XVIII. This priesthood was not legal or temporary, but according to the order of Melchisedeck, and is stable and perfect, not for a time, but forever, which is suitable to Jesus Christ, as to him that ever liveth. Christ was the priest, sacrifice, and altar ; he was a priest according to both natures ; he was a sacrifice according to his 1 Isa. ix. 6. 14 Rom. i. 8. 2 John i. 1. 15 Acts ii. dO. 8 Rom. ix. 5. 16 Acts xiii. 23. 4 1 Tim. iii. 16. 17 Heb. ii. 14. « 1 John V. 20. 18 Heb. ii. 16. 6 Rev. i. 8. 19 Eph. v. 30. r John i. 2. 20 Heb. ii. 11. See Acts iU. 22; Dent. SMatt. ix. 6. xviii.15. Heb. i. 1. 9 Johnviii.58. 21 John xvii. 19; Heb. v. 7—10,12; 10 Heb. xiii. 8. Rom. v. 19; Eph. v. 2; Col. i 20; Epli. 11 Matt, xxviii. 20. ii. 14— 16; Rom. viii. 8t; Heb. viii. 1, 18 Heb. i. 8; John i. 18. and ix. 24; 1 Teter ii. 6; John iv. 23, 18 Gal. iv. 4. 24. 118 - CONFESSIONS. human nature ; whence in Scripture it is attributed to his body, to his blood; yet the effectualness of this sacrifice did depend upon his Divine nature ; therefore it is called the blood of God. He was the altar according to his Divine nature, it belonging to the altar to sanctify that which is offered upon it, and so it ought to be of greater dignity than the sacrifice itself.^ XIX. Concerning his kingly ofiice, Christ being risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and having all power in heaven and earth, he doth spiritually govern his Church, and doth exercise his power over all, angels and men, good and bad, to the preserva- tion and salvation of the elect, and to the overruling and destruc- tion of his enemies. By this kingly power he applieth the benefits, virtue, and fruits of his prophecy and priesthood to his elect, subdu- ing their sins, preserving and strengthening them in all their con- flicts against Satan, the world, and the flesh, keeping their hearts in faith and filial fear by his Spirit ; by this his mighty power he ruleth the vessels of wrath, using, limiting, and restraining them, as it seenos good to his infinite wisdom.^ XX. This his kingly power shall be more fully manifested when he shall come in glory to reign among his saints, when he shall put down all rule and authority under his feet, that the glory of the Fa- ther may be perfectly manifested in his Son, and the glory of the Father and the Son in all his members.* XXI. Jesus Christ by his death did purchase salvation for the elect that God gave unto him ; these only have interest in him, and fellowship with him, for whom he makes intercession to his Father in the behalf of, and to them alone doth God by his Spirit apply this redemption unto ; as also the free gift of eternal life is given to them, and none else.* 1 Heb. V. 6, vii. 16, etc., ix. 13, 14, i. 27; Heb. i. 14; Job. i. 8; Eph. iv. 17, X 10, and xiii. 10, 12, 15; 1 Pet. i. 18, 18; 2 Pet. ii. ; John xvi. 15. 19; Col. i. 20, 22; Acts xx. 28; Matt. 8 i Cor. xv. 24, 28; Heb. ix. 28; 1 xxiii. 17; John xvii. 19. ' Thess. iv 15—17; 2 Thess. i, 9, 10; John 2 1 Cor. XV. 4 ; 1 Pet. iii. 21, 22 ; Matt. xH. 21, 26. xxviii 18, 19, 20; Luke xxiv. 51; Acts 4 Eph. i. 14; Heb. v. 9. and vH. 25; i. 1, and v. 80, 81; John v. 26, 27, xix. Matt, i 21 ; John xvii. 6; 1 Cor. ii. 12; 8^> and xvi. 15; Rom. i. 21, v. 6—8, xiv. I?om viii. 29, 90; 1 John v. 12; John 9, 17; and xvii. 18; tulal. v. 22, 23; Mark xv. 13, and iii. 16. APPENDIX. 119 XXII. Faith 13 the gift of G XXXy. And all his. servants of all estates are to acknowledge him to be their prophet, priest, and king ; and called thither to be en- rolled among his household servants, to present their bodies and souls, and to bring their ^fts [that] God hath given them, to be under his heavenly conduct and government, to lead their lives in this walled 1 Rom. vij. 28, 24; and viii. 29; Eph. Acts xix. 8, 9, and xxvi. 18; 2 Cor. vi. 10, 11, etc.; Heb.ii.9,10; 2Tim.iii. vi. 17; Rev. xviii. 4; Acts ii. 87, 42, 12; 1 These, ill. 8; Gal. ii. 19, 20; 2 Cor. ix. 26, and x. 87; Rom. x. 10; 1 Peter V. 7; Deut. ii. 6. Ii. 6. s John XT. 5, and xvl. 88 ; Phil. iy. 11 ; * Matt, xxviii. 18, etc. ; 1 Cor. iii. 21, Heb. ii. 9, 10; 2 Tim. Iy. 18. and xi. 24; 2 Cor. vi. 18; Rom. ix. 4, 5; 8 Matt xi. 11; xviii. 19, 20; 2 These. Psalm oxxxiii. 8; Rom. ilL 7, 10; Ezek. 115; lCor.L2i Eph. i. 1; Rom.!. 7. zlvU.2. 11 122 CONFESSIONS. sheepfold and watered garden, to have communion here with lus saints, that they may be assured that they are made meet to be par- takers of their inheritance in the kingdom of God ; and to supply each other's wants, inward and outward (and although each person hath a propriety in his own estate, yet they are to supply each oth- er's wants, according as their necessities shall require, that the name of Jesus Christ may not be blasphemed through the necessity of any in the Church) ; and also being come, they are here by himself to he bestowed in their several order, due place, peculiar use, being fitly compact and knit together, according to the effectual working of every part, to the edifying of itself in love.^ XXXVI. Being thus joined, every Church hath power given them from Christ, for their well-being, to choose among themselves meet persons for elders and deacons, being qualified according to the Word, as those which Christ hath appointed in his Testament for the feeding, governing, serving, and building up of his Church ; and that none have any power to impose on them either these or any other.* XXXVII. That the ministers lawfully called, as aforesaid, ought to continue in their calling and place, according to Grod's ordinance, and carefully to feed the flock of God conunitted to them, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.^ XXXVIII. The ministers of Christ ought to have whatsoever they shall need, supplied freely by the Church, that, according to Christ's ordinances, they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel by the law of Christ.* XXXIX. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, given by Christ, to be dispensed upon persons professing faith, or that a.-§ made disciples ; who, upon profession of faith, ought to be baptizctij " and after to partake of the Lord's Supper.* 1 Acts li. 41, 44, 45, 47 ; Isaiah iv. 8 ; xii. 8, 28 ; Heb. xiii. 7, 17 ; 1 Pet. v. 1-f i 1 Cor. xii. 6, 7, etc.; Ezek. xx. 37, 40; and iv. 15. Cant. iv. 12; Eph. ii. 19; Romans xii. 8 Heb. v. 4; John x. 8, 4; Acts :.x- 4-6; Col. i. 12, and ii. 5, 6, 19; Acts 28, 29; Rom. xii. 7, 8; Heb. xiii. 7, j\ * . ii. 44, 45, iv. 34, 35, v. 4, and xix. 32; 1 Pet. v. 1—3. Luke xiv. 26; 1 Timothy vi. 1; Eph. 4 1 Cor. ix. 7, 14; Gal. vi. 8; Phil.lv. ,j *^- ^^- 15, 16 ; 2 Cor. x. 4 ; 1 Tim. i. 9 ; Ps. ex 3 •Jl 2 AQtB I 23, 26, vi. 3, and xv. 22, 25. 5 Matt, xxviii. 18,19; John iv. 1; Mi-- ' j .Rojn.xiJ.7,8i lTim.in.2,6,7,%-,\Cot. XN\.^A'5>\K^W^,«;,«i,«Lndviii.36- V APPENDIX. 123 XL. That tlie way and manner of the dispensing this ordinance is dipping or plunging the body under water; it being a sign, must answer the things signified, which is, that interest the saints have in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ ; and that, as certainly as the body is buried under water, and risen again, so certainly shall the bodies of the saints be raised by the power of Christ, in the day of the resurrection, to reign with Christ^ The word baptizo signifies to dip or plunge (yet so as convenient garments be both upon the admiuistrator and subject with all mod- esty). XLL The person designed by Christ to dispense baptism, the Scripture holds forth to be a disciple ; it being nowhere tied to a par- ticular Church officer, or person extraordinarily sent, the commis- sion enjoining the administration being given to them as considered disciples, being men able to preach the Gospel.' XLII. Christ hath likewise given power to his Church to receive in and cast out any member that deserves it; and this power is given to every congregation, and not to one particular person, either member or officer, but in relation to the whole body, in reference to their faith and fellowship.* XLIU. And every particular member of each Church, how excel- lent, great, or learned soever, is subject to this censure and judg- ment ; and that the Church ought not, without great care and ten- derness, and due advice, but by the rule of faith, to proceed against her members.* XLIV. Christ, for the keeping of this Church in holy and orderly communion, placeth some special men over the Church, who, by their office, are to govern, oversee, visit, watch ; so, likewise, for the better keeping thereof, in all places by the members, he hath given authority, and laid duty upon all to watch over one another.* 1 Matt. iii. 6, 16; Mark i. 5, verse 9 8 Rom. xvi. 2; Matt, xviii. 17; 1 Cor. reads [into Jordan] in Greeic ; John iii. v. 4, 11, 18, xii. 6, and ii. 8; 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7. 28; Acts viii. 88; Rev. ii. 6, and vii. 14; 4 Matt, xviii. 16, and xvii. 18; Acts xi. Heb. x. 22; Rom. vi. 8—6; 1 Cor. xv. ii. 8; 1 Tim. v. 19, etc. ; Col. iv. 17; Acts 28, 29. XV. 1-8. 2 Isa.viii.l6; Eph. iii. 7; Matt, xxviii. 6 Acts xx. 27, 28; Heb. xiii. 17, 24; 19; John iv. 2; Acts x. 7, and xi. 20. Matt, xxiv.45; lTVve8».N.^,U\5\>!^NFES- siON OF OUR Faith, printed for and sold by John Harris, at the Harrow in the Poultry, which Confession we own, as containing the doctrine of our faith and practice; and do desu*e that the members of our churches respectively do furnish themselves therewith. . Hanserd Knollts, William Kiffin, John Harris, William Collins, Hercules Collins, Robert Steed, Leonard Harrison, George Barret, Isaac Lamb, Richard Adams, Benjamin Reach, Andrew Gifford, Thomas Vaux, Thomas Winnel, James Hitt, Richard Tidmarsh, William Facet, Samuel Buttal, Christopher Price, Daniel Finch, John Ball, Edmond White, William Pritchard, Paul Fruin, Richard Ring, John Tompkins, Toby Willes, John Carter, James Webb, Richard Sutton, Robert Knight, Edward Price, William Phipps, William Hawkins, Samuel Ewer, Edward Man, Charles Archer. In the name and behalf of the whole assembly. APPENDEL 129 TO THE JUDiaOUS AND IMPARTIAL READER. Courteous Reader: It is now many years since divers of us (with other sober Christians then living, and walking in the way of the Lord, that we profess) did conceive ourselves to be under a necessity of publishing a Confession of our Faith, for the information and satisfaction of those that did not thor- oughly understand what our principles were, or had entertained prejudices against our profession, by reason of the strange representation of them, by some men of note who had taken very wrong measures, and accord- ingly led others into misapprehensions of us, and them : And this was first put forth about the year 1643, in the name of seven congregations then gathered in London; since which time, divers impressions thereof have been dispersed abroad, and our end proposed, in good measure answered, inasmuch as many (and some of those men eminent both for piety and learning) were thereby satisfied, that we were no way guilty of those heterodoxies, and fundamental errors, which had too ft^uently been charged upon us without ground, or occasion given upon our part. And forasmuch, as that Confession is not now commonly to be had, and also that many others have since embraced the same truth which is owned therein, it was judged necessary by us to join together in giving a testi- mony to the world, of our firm adhering to those wholesome principles, by the publication of this which is now in your hand. And forasmuch as our method and manner of expressing our senti- ments, in this, doth vary from the former (although the substance of the matter is the same) we shall freely impart to you the reason and occasion thereof. One thing that greatly prevailed with us to undertake this work was (not only to give a ftdl account of ourselves to those Christians that differ from us about the subject of baptism, but also) the profit that might from thence arise, unto those that have any account of our labors, in their instruction and establishment in the great truths of the gospel; in the clear understandmg and steady belief of which, our comfortable walking with Grod, and fruitfulness before him, in all our ways, is most nearly con- cerned. And therefore we did conclude it necessary to express ourselves the more fully and distinctly; and also to fix on such a method as mijjht be most comprehensive of those things which we designed to explain our sense and belief of; and finding no defect in this regard in that fixed on by the Assembly, and after them by those of the Congregational way, wc did readily conclude it best to retain the same order in our present Confession ; and also when we observed that those last menUon^, ^<^Vxi^^vt ^w>X'6'ik. 130 CONFESSIONS. sion (for reasons which seemed of weight both to themselves and others) choose not only to express their mind in words concurrent with the former in sense, concerning all those articles wherein they were agreed, but a\so for the most part witliout any variation of the terms, we did in lilie manner conclude it best to follow their example, in making use of the very same words with them both, in those articles (which are very many) wherein our faith and doctrine is the same with theirs ; and this we did the more abundantly to manifest our consent with both, in all the funda- mental articles of the Christian religion, as also with many others, whose orthodox confessions have been published to the world, on the behalf of the Protestants in divers nations and cities; and also to convince all that we have no itch to clog religion with new words, but do readily acquiesce in that form of sound words which hath been in consent with the Holy Scriptures, used by others before us ; hereby declaring before Grod, angels and men, our hearty agreement with them in that wholesome Protestant doctrine which with so clear evidence of Scriptures they have asserted. Some things, indeed, are in some places added, some terms omitted, and some few changed; but these alterations are of that nature, as that we need not doubt any charge or suspicion of unsoundness in the faith from any of our brethren upon the account of them. In those things wherein we differ from others, we have expressed oar- selves with all candor and plainness, that none might entertain jealousy of aught secretly lodged in our breasts, that we would not the world should be acquainted with; yet we hope we have also observed those rules of modesty and humility as will render our freedom in this respect inoffen- sive, even to those whose sentiments are different from ours. We have also taken care to affix texts of Scripture in the margin, for the confirmation of each article in our Confession; in which work we have studiously endeavored to select such as are most clear and pertinent for the proof of what is asserted by us ; and our earnest desire is, that all into whose hands this may come, would follow that (never enough commended) example of the noble Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily that they might'find out whether the things preached to them were so or not. There is one thing more which we sincerely profess and earnestly desire credence in, viz., that contention is most remote from our design in all that we have done in this matter; and we hope the liberty of an ingenuous unfolding our principles and opening our hearts unto our brethren, with the Scripture grounds on which our faith and practice leans, will by none of them be either denied to us, or taken ill from us. Our whole design is accomplished if we may obtain that justice, as to be measured in our prin- ciples and practice, and the judgment of both by others, according to what we have noYf published ; which the Lord (whose eyes are as a flame of fire) APPENDIX. 181 knoweth to be the doctrine, which with our hearts we most firmly believe, and sincerely endeavor to conform our lives to. And, oh, that other con- tentions being laid asleep, the only care and contention of all, upon whom the name of our blessed Redeemer is called, might for the future be, to walk humbly with their God, and in the exercise of all love and meekness towards each other, to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord, each one endeavoring to have his conversation such as becoraeth the gospel ; and also suitable to his place and capacity, vigorously to promote in others the practice of true religion, and undefiled in the sight of God our Father. And thaUn this backsliding day, we might not spend our breath in fruit- less complaints of the evils of others, but may every one begin at home, to reform in the first place our own hearts and ways, and then to quicken all, that we may have influence upon, to the same work ; that if the will of God were so, none might deceive themselves by resting in, and trusting to, a form of godliness without the power of it, and inward experience of the eflacacy of those truths that are professed by them. And verily there is one spring and cause of the decay of religion in our day, which we cannot but touch upon, and earnestly urge a redress of, and that is the neglect of the worship of God in families, by those to whom the charge and conduct of them is committed. May not the gross igno- rance and instability of many, with the profaneness of others, be justly charged upon their parents and masters, who have not trained them up in the way wherein they ought to walk when they were young; but have neglected those frequent and solemn commands which the Lord hath laid upon them, so to catechise and instruct them, that their tender years might be seasoned with the knowledge of the truth of God, as revealed in the Scriptures; and also by their own omission of prayer, and other duties of religion in their families, together with the ill example of their loose con- versation, have inured them first to a neglect, and then contempt of all piety and religion ? We know this will not excuse the blindness or wick- edness of any; but certainly it will fall heavy upon those that have been thus the occasion thereof; they indeed die in their sins, but will not their blood be required of those under whose care they were, who yet permitted them to go on without warning, yea, led them into the paths of destruc- tion? And will not the diligence of Christians, with respect to the dis- charge of these duties, in ages past, rise up in judgment against, and con- demn many of those who would be esteemed such now? We shall conclude with our earnest prayer, that the God of all grace will pour out those measures of his Holy Spirit upon us, that the profession of truth may be accompanied with the sound belief and diligent practice of it by us, that his name may in all things be glorified through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen, 132 C0HFK8SI0NS. CONTEKTS. 1. Of the Holj Seriptmcs, 2. Of God and of tbe Holy Trinity. 8. Of God's Decrees. 4. Of Creatioii. 6. Of Dhrine Proridenee. 6. Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereoC 7 Of God's Covenant. 8. Of Christ the Mediator. 9. Of Free-WilL 10. Of Effectual Calling. 11. Of Jnstiiication. 12. Of Adoption. 13. Of Sanctification. 14. Of Sayhig Faith. 15. Of Repentance unto Life and Sal^ vation. 16. Of Good Works. 17. Of Fersererance of the Saints. 18. Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation. 19. Of the Law of God. 30. Of the Goq»el, and of the extent of the Grace thereof. 21. Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience. 22. Of Religious Worship, and the Sab- bath Day. 23. Of Lawfiil Oaths and Vows. 24. Of the Civil Hagistrate. 25. Of Marriage. 26. Of the Church. 27. Of the Communion of Saints. 28. Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 29. Of Baptism. 80. Of the Lord's Supper. 81. Of the State of Man after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead. 82. Of the Last Judgment. 83. An Appendix concerning Baptism. 84. Of Singing Psalms in Public Wor- ship. 85. Of Laying on of Hands. CONFESSION OF FAITH. CHAPTER I. OP THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infalli- ble^ rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience; although the • light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable ; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and his will, which is necessary unto salvation. ' Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterward, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church, against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto ^ writing ; which maketh the holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased. 2. Under the name of holy Scripture, or the word of God writ- ten, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testament, which are these : OP THE OLD TESTAMENT. Grenesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Jjidges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chroni- cles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psahns, Proverbs, 1 2Tim.iii. 16,16,17, Isa. yiU. 20; Luke 8 Hebrews i. 1. XTi. 29, 31 ; Ephesians ii. 20. 4 Proverbs xxii. 19—21; Bom. xy. 4; 2 s Rom. i. 19, 20, 21, ii. 14, 16; Psalm Peter i. 19, 20. xiz. 1, 2, a 12 134 CONFESSIONS. Eccleslastes, The Song of Songs, Isaiali, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariab, MalachL OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts oi the Apostles, Paul's Epistles to the Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalo- nians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, to Titus, to Philemon, the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Epistle of James, the first and second Epistles of Peter, the first, second and third Epistles of John, the Epistle of Jude, the Revelation. All which are given by the ^ inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life. 3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of ' divine inspiration, are no part of the canon (or rule) of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of than other human writings. 4. The authority of the holy Scriptures, for which it ought to be believed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or church, but wholly upon ^ Grod (who is Truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received, because it is the word of God. 5. We may be moved and^ induced by the testimony of the church of God, to an high and reverent esteem of the holy Scrip- tures ; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doc- trine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full dis- covery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are argu- ments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the word of God ; yet, notwithstanding our * full persuasion, and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward 1 2 Tim. iii. 16. 16; 2 ThessalonianB ii. 18; 1 John v. 9. 2 Luke xxir. 27, 44; Rom. Hi. 2. 4 John xvi. 13, 14; 1 Cor. 2, 10, U, 12; 1 8 2 Peter i. 19, 20, 21; 2 Timothy iii. John ii. 2, 20, 27. APPENDIX. 135 work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the word in our hearts. 6. The whole council of Grod concerning all things ^ necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down, or necessarily contained in the holy Scripture ; unto - which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revela- tion of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless we acknowledge the * inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the word, and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of Grod, and government of the church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ^ ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, ac- cording to the general rules of the word, which are always to be observed. 7. All things in Scripture are not alike * plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so * clearly pro- pounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of theuL 8. The Old Testament in • Hebrew (which was the native lan- guage of the people of God of old) and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of writing it was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by his singu- lar care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore ' authen- tical ; so as in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal unto them.^ But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of Grod, who have a right unto,.and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of Grod to read * and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation, unto which they ^<>come, that the word of 1 2 Tim. iii. 16, 16, 17; Gal. i. 8, 9. 6 Rom. iii. 2. 2 John vi. 45; 1 Cor. ii. 9—12. 7 Isaiah viii. 20. » 1 Cor. xi. 13, 14, xiv. 26, 40. 8 Acts xv. 16. 4 2 Peter iii. 16. 9 JoYwi v . ?». 5 FaaJm xix. 7, exix. 130. 10 1 CoT. xix . ft,^,\\,-«.,'W^,'&. 136 • CONFESSIONS. Grod dwelling ^ plentifully in all, they may worship him in an accept- able manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope. 9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the ^ Scrip- ture itself. And therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold but one), it must be searched by other places, that speak more clearly. 10. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councib, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit, into which * Scripture so deliv- ered, our faith is finally resolved. CHAPTER II. OP GOD AND OP THE HOLY TRINITY. 1. The Lord our (Jod is but* one only living and true Grod; whose ^ subsistence is in and of himself, ^ infinite in being and per- fection, whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but him- self; ' a most pure Spirit, ® invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, who is ^ immutable, ^^ immense, ^^ eternal, incompre- hensible, " almighty, every way infinite, ^® most holy, most wise, most^ free, most absolute, ^* working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, ^^ for his own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, ^^ the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and withal most just, ^^ and terrible in 1 Col. ili. 16. » Mai. ill. 6. 2 2 Peter i. 20, 21 ; Acts xy. 15, 16. 10 1 Kings viii. 27 ; Jer. xzili. 23. 8 Matt. xxii. 29, 81 ; Eph. ii. 20 ; Acts U Psalm xo. 2. xxviii. 23. 12 Gen. xvii. 1. 4 1 Cor. viii 46 ; Deut. vi. 4. 18 Isa. vi. 8. « Jer. X. 10; Isa. xlyiii. 12. M Psalm cxv. 8; Isa. xlvi. 10. 6 Exodus iii. 14. l« Prov. xvi. 4; Rom. xi. 86. ^ John iv. 24. ^* ^aLO«L\ja -xxxlv , 6^ 7 j Heb. xi «b « 1 Tim. 1. 17; Deut. iv. 16, 16. ^ "Sft^i. VaL.«^^^. APPENDIX. 137 his judgments,^ hating all sin, and who will hy no means clear the ^ guilty. 2. God having all' life,* glory,* goodness, blessedness, in and of himself, is alone in, and unto himself all sufficient, not ^ standing in need of any creature which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them, he is the alone fountain of all being, ^ of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and he hath most sovereign ® dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth; in his sight* all things are open and manifest, his knowledge is ^® infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature^so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain ; he is most holy in all his counsels, ^^ all his works, and in all his com- mands; to him is due '^from angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he is further pleased to require of them. 3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, " the Father, the Word (or Son), and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, " yet the essence undivided ; the Father is of none, neither begotten nor pro- ceeding, the Son is " eternally begotten of the Father, the Holy Spirit ^^ proceeding from the Father and the Son, all infinite, with- out beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar, relative properties and personal relations, which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with Grod, and our comfortable dependence on him. 1 Psalm y. 6, 6. 10 Eiek. xi. 6; Acta xv. 18. 2 Exodus xxxly. 7; Kahnm i. 2, a H Fsalm cxlv. 17. 8 John V. 26. 12 Rev. v. 12—14. 4 Psalm cxlviii. 14. ' M 1 John v. 7; Matt xxvill. 19; 2 Cor. fi Psalm cxlx. 68. xiii. 14. 6 Job xxa. 2, 8. 14 Exodus iii. 14 ; John xiv. U ; 1 Cor. 7 Rom. xi. 84—36. viii. 6. 8 Daniel iv. 25, and v. 84, 85. U John i. 14, 18. 9 Heb. iv. 18. * 16 John xv. 26j Gal. iv. 6. 12* 138 CONFESSIONS. CHAPTER III. . OF god's decrees. 1. Grod hath ^ decreed in himself from all etemitj, hj the most wise and holj counsel of his own will, freelj and unchangeably, all things whatsoever come to pass ; yet so as thereby is Grod neither the author of sin, ^ nor hath fellowship with any therein, nor is vio- lence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather ^ established, in which appears his ^nsdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness ^ in accomplishing hb decree. 2. Although Grod knoweth whatsoever may, or can come to pass upon all ^ supposed conditions : yet hath he not decreed any thing ^ because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions. 3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, ^ some men and angels are predestinated or foreordained to eternal life, through Jesus Christ, to the ^ praise of his glorious grace ; others being left to act in their sin to their ^ just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice. 4. These angels and men thus predestinated, and foreordained, are particularly, and unchangeably designed ; and their ^^ number so certain, and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished. 5. Those of mankind ^ that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love ; " without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto. 1 Isa. xlvi. 10; Eph. i. 11 ; Heb. vi. 17; 7 1 Tim. v. 21 ; Matt. xxv. «. Kom. ix. 16, 18. 8 Eph. i. 5, 6. 2 James i. 16, 17 ; 1 John i. 5. 9 Kom. ix. 22, 28; Jnde 4. 8 Acts iv 27, 28 ; John xix. 11. 10 2 Tim. ii. 19; John xiii. 18. 4 Numbers xxiii. 19; Ephesians i. 8—5. U Eph. i. 4, 9, 11 ; Kom. viii. 80; 2 Tim. ^ Acts XV. IS. i.ft-, lTV\«s«. V. 9. tf Jiom. ix. llf 18, 16, 18. ^ Kotn. x\^. "ia,\^\ ^v>tvA.<5»,YL. APPENDIX. 139 6. As Grod hath appointed the elect unto glory, so he hath by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, foreordained ^ all the means thereunto, wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, ^ are redeemed by Christ, are effectually * called unto faith in Christ, by his Spirit, working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power through faith * unto .salvation ; neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, jus- tified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect ' only. 7. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care; that men attending the inll of Grod revealed in his word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, firom the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their ^ eternal election ; so shall this doctrine afford matter ' of praise, reverence, and admiration of God, and ^ of humility, dili- gence, and abundant ^ consolation, to all that sincerely obey the gospeL CHAPTER TV. OF CBEATIOX. 1. In the beginning it pleased God the Father, ^® Son and Holy Spirit, for the manifestation of the glory of ^ his eternal power, wis- dom, and goodness, to create or make the world, and all things therein, ^ whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good. 2. After God had made all other creatures, he created^ man, male and female, with ^* reasonable and immortal souls, rendering them fit unto that life to God, for which they were created, being ^ made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, having the law of God ^^ written in their hearts, and power 1 1 Peter i 2 ; 2 These, ii. 18. 9 Luke x. 20. s 1 Tbess. v. 9, 10. 10 John i. 2, 8; Heb. i. 2; Job zzyi. 1& 8 Romans viU. 80 ; 2 These, ii. 18. n Bom. i. 20. 4 1 Peter i 6. 12 Col. i. 16; Gen. ii. 1, 2. 8 John X. 26; xvii. 9 ; vi. 64. 18 Gen. i. 27. 6 1 Theft, i. 4, 5; 2 Peter i. 10. M Gen. ii. 7. 7 Eph. i. 6; Rom. xi. Sa w Eccl. vii. 29; Gen. i. 28. 8 Rom xI. 5, 6. • 16 Rom. ii. U^U. 140 CONFESSIONS. to fulfil it; and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was ^ subject to change. 3. Besides the law written in their hearts, thej received ^ a com- mand not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil ; which, whilst they kept, they were happy in their communion with Grod^ and had dominion * over the creatures. CHAPTER V. OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 1. GrOD, the good Creator of all things, in his infinite power and wisdom, doth ^ uphold, direct^, dispose, and govern all creatures and things, from the greatest even to the ' least, by his most wise and holy providence, to the end for the which they were created, ac- cording unto his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immuta- ble counsel of his * own will ; to the praise of the glory of his wis- dom, power, justice, infinite goodness and mercy. 2. Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all tUngs come to pass ^ immutably and infallibly ; so that there is not any thing befalls any ® by chance, or without his providence ; yet by the same providence he ordereth them to fell out according to the nature of second causes, either ^ necessarily, freely, or contingently. 3. God, in his ordinary providence, ^^ maketh use of means ; yet is free ^^ to work without, ^ above, and " against them at his pleasure. 4. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite good- ness of God, so far manifest themselves in his providence, that his ' determinate counsel ^* extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions both of angels and men; and that not by a 1 Gen. ili. 6. 8 Prov. xvi. 88. 2 Gen. vi. 17, iii. 8—10. » Gen. viii. 22. 8 Gen. 1. 26, 28. 10 Acts xxvU. 31, 44; Isa. Iv. 10, 11. 4 Heb. i. 8; Job xxxviii. 11; Isa. xlyi. U Hoeea i. 7. 10, 11 ; Psalm oxxxv. 6. 12 Rom. Iv. 1»-21. s Matt. X. 2d-31. 18 Daniel iii. 27. ^ Eph. 1 11. U Rom, xl. 82-84; 2 Sam. xxiv. 1; 1 ^ Acts a. 28. CVitOTi, xsA, V APPENDIX. 141 bare permission, wbich also he most wisely and powerfully ^ bonnd- eth, and otherwise ordereth, and govemeth, in a manifold dispensa- tion to his most holy ^ ends : yet so as the sinfulness of their acts proceedeth only from the creatures, and not from God ; who being most holy and righteous, neither is, nor can be, the author or' approver of sin. 5. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God, doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations and the corruptions of their own heart, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulneas of their hearts, ^ that they may be humbled ; and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for other just and holy ends. So that whatsoever befalls any of his elect is by his appointment, for his glory, * and their good. 6. As for those wicked and ungodly men, whom God as a right- eous judge, for former sin doth ^ blind and harden ; from them he not only withholdeth his ^ grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understanding, and wrought upon in their hearts, but sometimes also withdraweth ^ the gifts which they had, and exposeth them to such ^ objects as their corruptions make occar sion of sin ; and withall, *® gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan, whereby it comes to pass that they ^ harden themselves, even under those means which Grod useth fbr the softening of others. 7. As the providence of Grod doth in general reach to all crea- tures, so aft;er a more special manner it taketh care of his ^ church, and disposeth of all things to the good thereof. 1 2 Kings xix. 28 ; Psalm Ixxvi. 10. 8 Matt. xiii. 12. S Gen. 1. 20; Isa. x. 6, 7, 12. 9 Deut. ii. 80; 2 Kings viii. 12, 18. S realm 1.21; IJohn ii. 16. 10 Psalm Ixxxi. 11, 12; 2 Thess. 11. 4 2 Chron. xzxii, 26, 28, 81; Samuel 10-12. xxiv. 1; 2 Cor. xii. 7—9. H Exodus viii. 16, 82; Isa. vi. 9, 10; 1 5 Rom. viii. 28. Peter ii. 7, 8. 6 Rom. i. 24, 26, 28, xi. 7, 8. U Tim. iv. 10; Amos Ix. 8, 9; Isaiah 7 l>eut xxix. 4. lxiii.a-^. 142 CONFESSIONS. CHAPTER VI. OF THE FALL OF MAN, OF BIN, AND OF THE PUNISHMENT THEREOF. 1. Although Grod created man upright, and perfect, and gave him a righteous law, which had been unto life had he kept it,^ and threat- ened death upon the breach thereof; yet he did not long abide in this honor ; '-* Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to seduce Eve, then by her seducing Adam, who, without any compulsion, did wil- fully transgress the law of their creation, and the conunand given unto them, in eating the forbidden fruit, which Grod was pleased, according to his wbe and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory. 2. Our first parents by this sin, fell from their' original righteous- ness and communion with God, and we in them, whereby death came upon all ; ^ all becoming dead in sin, and wholly defiled,^ in all the faculties and parts of soul and body. 3. They being the root,'^ and, by God's appointment, standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of the sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation, being now^ conceived in sin, and by nature children^ of wrath, the servants of sin, the subjects^ of death, and all other miseries, spiritual, temporal, and eternal, unless the Lord Jesus i° set them free. 4. From this original corruption, whereby we are '^ utterly indis- posed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do ^^ proceed all actual transgressions. 5. This corruption of nature, during this life, doth ^' remsdn in those that are regenerated ; and although it be through Christ par- 1 Gen. ii. 16, 17. 7 Psalm li. 5; Job xiv. 4. S Gen. iii. 12, x. 13; 2 Cor. i. 1-& 8 £ph. ii. 8. 8 Rom. iii. 23. » Rom. vi. 20, v. 12. 4 Rom. V. 12, etc. 10 Heb. ii. 14; 1 Thes. i. 10. 5 Titus i. 15; Gen. vi. 5; Jere. xvii. 9; ll Rom. viii. 7; Col. i. 21. Rom. iii. 10—19. 12 James i. 14, 16; Matt. xv. 19. tf Bom. Y. 12—19; 1 Corinthians xv. 21, l& Uom.NVi.\&«^\ Eocl. vii. 20; 1 John 22,46,^, V.%. APPENDIX. 148 doned, and mortified, yet both itself, and the first motions thereof, are truly and properly i tan. CHAPTER VII. OF god's covenant. 1. The distance between God and the creatare is so great, that althoogh reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have attained the reward of life, but by some ^ voluntary condescension on God's part, which he hath been pleased to express, by way of covenant 2. Moreover, man having brought himself ' under the curse of the law by his fall, it pleased the Lord to make a covenant of grace, wherein he fireely offereth unto sinners * life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in him, that they may be saved; and ^ promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life, hb Holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe. 8. This covenant is revealed in the gospel, first of all to Adam, in the promise of salvation by the ^ seed of the woman, and afterwards by farther steps, until the full ^ discovery thereof was completed in the New Testament ; and it b founded in that ^ eternal covenant transaction, that was between the Father and the Son about the redemption of the elect ; and it is alone by the grace of thb cove- nant, that all of the posterity of fallen Adam that ever were ^ saved did obtain life and blessed immortality; man being now utterly uncapable of acceptance with God upon those terms on which Adam stood in hb state of innocence. 1 Bomaiis vii. 24, 26; Galatians v. 17. n Ezek. xxxiv. 26, 27; John vi. 44, 46; 2 Luke xvii. 10; Job xxxv. 7, 8. ^^^ ***' ^• 6 Gen. iii. 15. »Gen. ii. 17; Gal. iii. 10; Bom. iii. ZHeb.i.l. a0»21. 8 2 Tim. i. 9; Titus i. 2. 4 Bom. yiii. 8; Mark xvi. 16, 16; John 9 Heb. ii. 6, 18; Bomans iv. 1, 2, etc. ; iii. 16. Acts iy . 12 , 3 o\m. y^. ^. 134 CONFESSIONS. Ecclesiastes, The Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Baggai, Zechariah, Malachi. OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the Apostles, Paul's Epistles to the Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Fhilippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalo- nians, 1 Hmothy, 2 Timothy, to Titos, to Philemon, the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Epistle of James, the first and second Epistles of Peter, the first, second and third Epistles of John, die Epistle of Jude, the Revelation. All which are given by the * inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life. 3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of * divine inspiration, are no part of the canon (or rule) of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of than other human writings. 4. The authority of the holy Scriptures, for which it ought to be believed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or church, but wholly upon ^ God (who is Truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received, because it is the word of G'». 136 • CONFESSIONS. Grod dwelling ^ plentifullj in all, they may worship him in an acceptp- able manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope. 9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the * Scrip- ture itself. And therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold but one), it must be searched by other places, that speak more clearly. 10. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit, into which * Scripture so deliv- ered, our faith is finally resolved. CHAPTER II. OF GOD AND OF THE HOLY TRINITY. 1. The Lord our Grod is but ^ one only living and true (jod; whose ' subsistence is in and of hunself, ^ infinite in being and per- fection, whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but him- self; ^ a most pure Spirit, ^ invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, who is • immutable, ^^inmiense, '^ eternal, incompre- hensible, " almighty, every way infinite, ^' most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute, ^* working all things according to the counsel of his own inmiutable and most righteous will, ^* for his own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long-sufiering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, ^^ the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and ^rithal most just, ^^ and terrible in 1 Col. iii. 16. 9 Mai. iii. 6. 2 2 Peter i. 20, 21 ; Acts xv. 15, 16. M 1 Kings vlii. 27 ; Jer. xxiii. 28. 8 Matt. xxii. 29, 81 ; Eph. ii. 20 ; Acts U Tsalm xc. 2. xxviii. 23. 12 Gen. xvii. 1. * 1 Cor. vii! 46 ; Deut. vi. 4. 13 Isa. vi. 8. « Jer. X. 10; Isa. xlviii. 12. M Psalm cxv. 8; Isa. xlvi. 10. 6 Kxodns iii. 14. M Prov. xvi. 4; Bom. xi. 86. / John iv. 24. i^ ^Eix.o^\3A iussi>< . ^., T ^ Heb. xL «. 8 1 Tim. i. 17; Deut. iv. 15, 16. ^ "»«2^' Vx.'Stt.^a. APPENDIX. 137 his judgments, ^ hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the ' guilty. 2. God having all' life,^ glory,' goodness, blessedness, in and of himself, is alone in, and unto himself all sufficient, not ' standing in need of any creature which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them, he is the alone fountain of all being,' of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and he hath most sovereign ' dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth ; in his sight * all things are open and manifest, his knowledge is ^ infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature^so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain ; he is most holy in all his counsels, " all his works, and in all his com- mands; to him is due ^^from angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he is further pleased to require of them. 3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, ^ the Father, the Word (or Son), and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, ** yet the essence un(tivided ; the Father is of none, neither begotten nor pro- ceeding, the Son is " eternally begotten of the Father, the Holy Spirit ^' proceeding from the Father and the Son, all infinite, with- out beginning, therefore but one Grod, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar, relative properties and personal relations, which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and our comfortable dependence on him. 1 Psalm V. 6, 6. 10 E«k. xi. 6; Acts xv. 18. 2 Exodus xxxiy. 7; Nahnm i. 2, 8. U Psalm oxlv. 17. 8 John V. 26. U Rev. v. 12—14. 4 Psalm cxlviii. 14. ' 18 1 John v. 7; Matt, xxvili. 19; 2 Cop. s Psalm cxlx. 68. xiii. 14. 6 Job xxii. 2, 3. 14 Exodus «i. 14 ; John xlv. 11 ; 1 Cop. 7 Rom. xi. 84—86. yiU. 6. 8 Daniel iv. 25, and v. 84, 85. 15 John i. 14, 18. 9 Heb. iy. 18. " le John xv. 26; Gal. Iv. 6. 12* 138 CONFESSIONS. CHAPTER III. . OF god's decrees. 1. Grod hath ^ decreed in himself from all etemitj, hy the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things whatsoever come to pass ; yet so as thereby is Grod neither the author of sin, ' nor hath fellowship with any therein, nor is vio- lence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather ' established, in which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness ^ in accomplishing his decree. 2. Although Grod knoweth whatsoever may, or can come to pass upon all ^ supposed conditions : yet hath he not decreed any thing ^ because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions. 3. By the decree of Grod, for the manifestation of his glory, ^ some men and angels are predestinated or foreordained to eternal life, through Jesus Christ, to the ^ praise of his glorious grace ; others being left to act in their sin to their ^ just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice. 4. These angels and men thus predestinated, and foreordained, are particularly, and unchangeably designed ; and their ^^ number so certain, and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished. 5. Those of mankind ^ that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love ; " without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto. 1 lea. xlvi. 10; Eph. i. 11; Heb. vi. 17; 7 1 Tim. v. 21 ; Matt. xxv. «. Kom. ix. 16, 18. 8 £ph. i. 5, 6. 2 James i. 15, 17 ; 1 John i. 6. 9 Rom. ix. 22, 28; Jude 4. 8 Acts iv 27, 28; John xix. 11. 10 2 Tim. ii. 19; John xiii. 18. 4 Numbers xxiil. 19; Ephesians 1. 8—6. n Eph. i. 4, 9, 11 ; Rom. viii. 80; 2 Tim. ^ Acts XV. IS. \.^-, \'V\v«e%.N.